も～ば～も | Grammar

Structure

Verb pattern:

[verb (ます stem)] + も + [verb ば-form] + …も

い-adjective pattern:

[i-adj 〜い → 〜く] + も + [i-adj 〜い → 〜けれ] + ば + …も

な-adjective pattern:

[na-adj] + で + も + あれば + …も

Noun pattern:

[noun] + も + [noun] + なら + …も

Common forms:

Noun も Verb₁-ば、Noun も Verb₂
Noun も i-adj₁-ければ、Noun も i-adj₂
Noun も na-adj₁ なら、Noun も na-adj₂

Note: The ば-form does not function as a true conditional here; it connects two parallel facts ("both A and B").

Description

The pattern も～ば～も is used to express that two or more things are equally true, similar to English "both…and…" or "…as well as…". It emphasizes that multiple items, actions, or qualities all apply to a situation, often to stress completeness, abundance, or to list parallel facts.

Positive: "both A and B"

When used in affirmative sentences, this pattern highlights that multiple things are all true at the same time.

、。

He both drinks and smokes.

、。

She is good at both singing and dancing.

The first element takes も followed by the ば-form (conditional form) of the associated verb or adjective, and the second element also takes も. Despite using the ば conditional form, this pattern does not express a condition – the ば here simply connects two parallel statements.

Negative: "neither A nor B"

When used with negative predicates, the pattern means "neither A nor B", emphasizing a lack of multiple things.

、。

I have neither time nor money.

、かき書き。

He neither reads nor writes.

Structure details

The ば-form varies depending on what comes before it:

Verbs: Use the standard ば-form (e.g. のむ飲む → 飲めば, する → すれば)
い-adjectives: Change い to ければ (e.g. たかい高い → 高ければ)
な-adjectives / Nouns: Use であれば or なら(ば) (e.g. しずか静か → 静かであれば)

Nuance

This pattern often carries a tone of emphasis or surprise – the speaker is pointing out that it is noteworthy that both things are true. It is used in descriptive or evaluative contexts, and appears frequently in both spoken and written Japanese.

Examples

、。

He speaks both English and French.

、。

This shop is both cheap and tasty.

、。

I have neither time nor money.

、。

She is good at both singing and playing piano.

、。

That person both drinks and smokes.

、。

This town has both mountains and the sea.

、。

On my days off, I both read books and watch movies.

、。

He neither studies nor exercises.

、。

This restaurant has both a nice atmosphere and good service.

、。

While traveling, I both take photos and write in my diary.

、。

That teacher is both strict and kind.

、。

My father both cooks and cleans for us.

References

The Particle Mo も I Also Tooimabi.org
も-ば-もBunpro