たところで | Even If It's Pointless in Japanese

Even if; no use doing; it won't help to

N3た form + ところで + negative or futile result

Step 19 of 112 in the N3 study path

N3Japanese Grammar

Even if; no use doing; it won't help to

Formation:た form + ところで + negative or futile result

Even If You Did, It Wouldn't Help

たところで concedes an action and then says it would achieve nothing. The speaker has already decided it is futile.

It attaches to the た form, but it is not past. 急(いそ)いだところで refers to the future.
The second clause must be negative or futile — ない, 無駄(むだ)だ, 変(か)わらない.
The speaker treats the outcome as already settled, not as a live possibility.

Pattern	Outcome
たとえ〜ても	can be positive or negative
たところで	always futile

たとえ失敗(しっぱい)しても続(つづ)ける works. 失敗(しっぱい)したところで続(つづ)ける does not — the pattern demands a dead end.

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Speed

急(いそ)いだところで間(ま)に合(あ)わないでしょう。
Even if we hurry, we won't make it.
今(いま)さら謝(あやま)ったところで遅(おそ)すぎる。
It's too late to apologise now.
文句(もんく)を言(い)ったところで何(なに)も変(か)わらない。
Complaining won't change anything.
いくら頼(たの)んだところで無駄(むだ)です。
However much you ask, it's pointless.
調(しら)べたところで答(こた)えは見(み)つからない。
Even if you look it up, you won't find the answer.
走(はし)ったところで終電(しゅうでん)には乗(の)れない。
Even running, I won't catch the last train.
心配(しんぱい)したところで結果(けっか)は同(おな)じだ。
Worrying won't change the outcome.
説明(せつめい)したところで信(しん)じてもらえないだろう。
Even if I explain, they probably won't believe me.

Quiz Time

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4 multiple choice1 fill in the blank1 error correction

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