At a glance
Noun ともなれば means "once it comes to [noun]" or "when you reach the level of [noun]". It is used with a noun for a high or notable status, stage, time or amount. The second half says what naturally follows or is expected at that level.
Noun ＋ ともなれば、[natural result / expectation]
大学生ともなれば、自分のことは自分でするべきだ。 Once you're a university student, you should take care of your own things.
How to form it
ともなれば attaches directly to a noun, with no だ in between.
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (role, status) | 社長ともなれば | once you're a company president |
| Noun (age, stage) | 大学生ともなれば | once you're a university student |
| Noun (time, season) | 十二月ともなれば | once it's December |
| Noun (amount, degree) | 百人ともなれば | when it comes to a hundred people |
- と: the particle marking the result of なる (as in Nとなる "become N").
- も: adds emphasis ("even, when it gets to").
- なれば: なる ＋ the conditional ば.
Register: mostly written and formal speech.