# も同然だ: just like; same as > Learn how to use も同然だ, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning just like; same as, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-mo-douzen-da/ **も同然(どうぜん)だ** means **just like; same as; practically equivalent to**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to assert that a situation is essentially no different from another, often with emotional weight or judgment. This grammar point appears in both writing and speech, especially when you want to emphasize that something is so close to another thing that the difference hardly matters. If you need to call something "as good as," "tantamount to," or "practically the same as," **も同然(どうぜん)だ** is a versatile and natural choice. ## What does も同然(どうぜん)だ mean? Use **も同然(どうぜん)だ** when you want to equate one thing with another, not literally but in practical effect. The speaker is saying "for all intents and purposes, it’s the same as X." Natural translations include: - just like ~ - same as ~ - as good as ~ - practically equivalent to ~ The best translation depends on tone. In English you might say "he's as good as dead," or "that's just stealing." ## How to form も同然(どうぜん)だ
Noun + も同然(どうぜん)だ
Verb (plain form, often past) + も同然(どうぜん)だ
Examples of the pattern: - 泥棒(どろぼう) + も同然(どうぜん)だ → 泥棒(どろぼう)も同然(どうぜん)だ - 盗ん(ぬすん)だ + も同然(どうぜん)だ → 盗ん(ぬすん)だも同然(どうぜん)だ - 壊れ(こわれ)た + も同然(どうぜん)だ → 壊れ(こわれ)たも同然(どうぜん)だ The form before the pattern is direct: either a noun (no particle needed) or a plain-form verb that describes the state or action. Avoid inserting です or polite endings before も同然(どうぜん)だ; it attaches directly. ## When is も同然(どうぜん)だ used? Use **も同然(どうぜん)だ** in situations like: - equating an action to a crime, mistake, or failure - describing something that is so ruined, useless, or changed that it might as well be something else - delivering a strong, subjective judgment about a situation Tone and register: - neutral to slightly formal; sounds natural in both conversation and writing - often carries a negative or critical overtone, but can be used positively (勝っ(かっ)たも同然(どうぜん)だ = as good as won) - Common in essays, editorials, fiction, and JLPT N1 reading sections ## も同然(どうぜん)だ example sentences
泥どろ棒ぼうも同然どうぜんだ。
He’s just like a thief.
equivalence negative judgment
こんなに遅おくれたら、約束やくそくを破やぶったも同然どうぜんだ。
Being this late is as good as breaking a promise.
equivalence criticism
彼かれはもう死しんだも同然どうぜんだ。
He’s as good as dead.
extreme state pessimism
そんなことを言いうのは、嘘うそをついたも同然どうぜんだ。
Saying that is essentially lying.
equivalence moral judgment
この機械きかいは壊こわれたも同然どうぜんで、修理しゅうりしても無駄むだだ。
This machine is practically broken; repairing it is pointless.
state uselessness
After reading each sentence, notice how も同然(どうぜん)だ collapses the distance between what something *is* and what it might as well be. That subjective leap is the core of this pattern. ## Nuance of も同然(どうぜん)だ The key nuance is **subjective equivalence — the speaker declares that one thing is so close to another that the boundary is irrelevant**.
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Key nuance: も同然(どうぜん)だ isn’t about literal, measurable equality; it’s about perceived, practical sameness. It often carries a tone of dismissal, resignation, outrage, or even a dark joke.
This matters because learners sometimes confuse it with more objective expressions like に等しい(ひとしい). With も同然(どうぜん)だ, you are adding your personal assessment — you are telling the listener how to interpret the situation. For example: - 盗ん(ぬすん)だも同然(どうぜん)だ says “it’s stealing in my eyes,” not “this meets the legal definition of theft.” - 死ん(しん)だも同然(どうぜん)だ might be said about a hopeless case, not a medical pronouncement. ## も同然(どうぜん)だ vs に等しい(ひとしい) Both **も同然(どうぜん)だ** and **に等しい(ひとしい)** can express that two things are alike, but they differ in objectivity and emotional charge.
も同然(どうぜん)だ
subjective, practical equivalence
Use when you want to pass judgment or emphasize that the difference is negligible from a personal standpoint. Common in speech, editorials, or dramatic narration.
そんな行動(こうどう)は犯罪(はんざい)も同然(どうぜん)だ。
That behavior is as good as a crime.
VS
に等しい(ひとしい)
objective, literal equality
Use to state that two things are equal in fact, value, or effect, without strong emotional coloring. More formal and often used in technical or academic settings.
彼(かれ)の収入(しゅうにゅう)はゼロに等しい(ひとしい)。
His income is equal to zero.
If both translations seem possible, check the speaker’s stance. も同然(どうぜん)だ puts the speaker’s evaluation front and center; に等しい(ひとしい) just reports a fact. ## Common mistakes with も同然(どうぜん)だ Watch out for these mistakes:
❌ 彼(かれ)は天才(てんさい)ですも同然(どうぜん)だ。
✅ 彼(かれ)は天才(てんさい)も同然(どうぜん)だ。
Attach も同然(どうぜん)だ directly to the noun or verb plain form. Never use です or ます in front of it.
❌ この部屋(へや)はきれいだも同然(どうぜん)だ。
✅ この部屋(へや)はきれいなのと同然(どうぜん)だ。 (awkward — better avoided)
も同然(どうぜん)だ is rarely used with na-adjectives. Stick to nouns or verbs.
❌ もう遅い(おそい)も当然(とうぜん)だ。
✅ もう遅れ(おくれ)たも同然(どうぜん)だ。
Don’t confuse 同然(どうぜん) (dōzen, “same as”) with 当然(とうぜん) (tōzen, “natural, to be expected”). They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
A good self-check: after writing a sentence with も同然(どうぜん)だ, try replacing it with に等しい(ひとしい). If the sentence becomes a dry fact and loses the emotional punch, you’ve used も同然(どうぜん)だ correctly. ## Is も同然(どうぜん)だ on the JLPT?
N1

Yes, も同然(どうぜん)だ is a JLPT N1 grammar point. It’s a classic example of advanced judgment patterns that appear in the reading comprehension and listening sections.

For test preparation, practice with sentences where the grammar point follows a negative action or an extreme state. JLPT N1 questions often test whether you catch the emotional weight behind 同然(どうぜん) and can distinguish it from 等しい(ひとしい) or 当然(とうぜん). ## Practice questions for も同然(どうぜん)だ
1. Someone didn’t return the money they borrowed. Use も同然(どうぜん)だ to say that act is practically stealing. equivalence
2. Your old computer takes ten minutes to start. Make a sentence that means “it’s as good as broken.” exaggeration
3. A politician’s vague apology was meaningless. Write: “That apology was the same as no apology at all.” negation
4. Compare も同然(どうぜん)だ and に等しい(ひとしい) by describing a situation where the emotional charge changes. comparison
Keep your first sentences simple. Focus on attaching a noun or a plain past verb directly, then add context to sharpen the judgment. ## Learning path for も同然(どうぜん)だ To learn **も同然(どうぜん)だ** efficiently, start with its mechanical attachment, then internalize its subjective flavor, and finally use it in your own opinions.
1
Memorize the direct attachment: Noun + も同然(どうぜん)だ / Verb plain (past) + も同然(どうぜん)だ. Say aloud 泥棒(どろぼう)も同然(どうぜん)だ, 盗ん(ぬすん)だも同然(どうぜん)だ until the rhythm is automatic.
2
Read all example sentences again, but this time say each one in a tone that matches the emotion — outrage, grim humor, dismissal. The intonation helps you remember the subjective nature.
3
Write five original sentences where you pass a moral or practical judgment. Then check whether replacing も同然(どうぜん)だ with に等しい(ひとしい) would strip the sentence of its punch. If so, you’ve nailed it.
4
Mix it with related patterns like めく or もさることながら in a short diary entry or social media post. This cements the boundary between “seems like” and “is as good as.”
## Related grammar to review next - [もさることながら](/blog/n1-mo-saru-koto-nagara/) — also connects two points of similar weight (often “not only that, but also”). - [もしないで](/blog/n1-mo-shinai-de/) — involves a negated action that leads to an outcome; useful when you want to say “without even doing X.” - [めく](/blog/n1-meku/) — shows that something resembles something else or takes on a certain quality (“to look like,” “to have an air of”). - [まるっきり](/blog/n1-marukkiri/) — expresses total negation or absoluteness; pairs well with negative states. ## Learn も同然(どうぜん)だ with Hane If you want to review **も同然(どうぜん)だ** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)