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N3

Emphasis with こそ

Use こそ to create strong focus, contrast, and emotionally marked emphasis in reading and formal speech.

Understand how こそ highlights the most important element in a sentence.Recognize common N3 patterns such as これこそ, 〜からこそ, and 〜てこそ.Read the emotional or argumentative force that こそ adds.
Guided study

Core meaning

こそ is an emphasis marker. It highlights the word before it and gives it special importance. In English, the force may sound like “this is exactly…”, “it is because… that…”, or “only when… can…”.

これこそ私たちが探していた答えだ。

This is exactly the answer we were looking for.

これこそ strongly singles out the exact item.

今こそ行動するときだ。

Now is precisely the time to act.

今こそ highlights the timing as especially important.

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N3 Japanese grammar lessons

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Japanese grammar lessons

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