GRAMMAR
そもそも
in the first place
Explanation
NOTE
そもそも means in the first place or to begin with — a discourse marker that reframes the talk back to the origin.
そもそも、なぜこの計画が始まったの?
In the first place, why did this plan even start?
Placed at the start of a sentence to step back to the fundamental question.
NOTE
Use そもそも to question the premise itself, often with a critical or skeptical tone.
NOTE
It can also mean originally — describing how something was from the start (≈ もともと, but more reflective).
STRUCTURE
そもそも+Sentence
そもそも、君は何がしたいの?
Somosomo, kimi wa nani ga shitai no?
To begin with, what do you even want to do?
そもそもこのアイデアは無理だったんだよ。
Somosomo kono aidea wa muri datta n da yo.
In the first place, this idea was impossible.
そもそも彼は日本人ではない。
Somosomo kare wa nihonjin de wa nai.
To begin with, he isn't Japanese.
Practice exercises
1
一応検討したが、そもそも無理だ。
I tentatively considered it, but in the first place, it's impossible.
Answer
そもそも
2
確かに悪いけど、そもそも始めが違った。
Certainly it's bad, but in the first place, the beginning was wrong.
Answer
そもそも
3
その計画はそもそも無理があった。
That plan had a fundamental flaw in the first place.
Answer
そもそも
4
結局、議論の前提がそもそも間違っていた。
Ultimately, the premise of the discussion was in the first place wrong.
Answer
そもそも
5
どうせ変わるなら、そもそも要らなかった。
If it's going to change anyway, then in the first place, it wasn't necessary.
Answer
そもそも