としたことが (toshita koto ga) – Meaning & Usage

Q: What is an example sentence with としたことが (toshita koto ga)?

先輩としたことが、こんな 簡単な 字を 間違えるなんて。 — My senior colleague, of all people, misread such a simple character — I can't believe it.

としたことが means of all people, who would have thought?. It is a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar pattern used to express surprise, disappointment, or mild criticism when someone who is usually reliable, skilled, or high‑status does something unexpected or out of character.

Use としたことが when you can’t believe that this particular person—of all people—did something inconsistent with their reputation.

What does としたことが mean?

Use としたことが when someone you hold in high regard does something that doesn’t match their normal behavior. It carries a tone of “How could they of all people do such a thing?” The pattern attaches to a person (or a role, institution) and is immediately followed by a description of the unexpected action or situation.

Natural translations include:

of all people
and yet (this person) …
who would have thought (that they) …
I can’t believe someone like X would …

The feeling behind としたことが is never just neutral observation — it’s personal, often a little disappointed or incredulous.

How to form としたことが

The grammar attaches directly to a noun that represents a person, role, or entity.

【人(ひと) / 立場(たちば)】 + としたことが

先生(せんせい) → 先生(せんせい)としたことが

Examples of the pattern:

あの正直(しょうじき)な彼(かれ)としたことが、嘘(うそ)をつくなんて
一流(いちりゅう)企業(きぎょう)としたことが、こんな単純(たんじゅん)なミスをするとは
うちの部長(ぶちょう)としたことが、会議(かいぎ)の日(ひ)を間違える(まちがえる)なんて

The word before としたことが must be a noun referring to a specific person, a group, or an entity whose reputation is on the line. After it, you typically add a phrase that explains the surprising action, often followed by なんて or とは to underline the tone of disbelief.

When is としたことが used?

Use としたことが in situations like:

expressing shock or disappointment when someone breaks expected behavior
gently scolding or sympathizing with someone you respect
narrating an anecdote where a “model” person slips up

Tone and register:

semi‑formal to spoken; carries emotional weight, not a dry report
common in monologues, personal stories, and commentary
often accompanied by なんて, とは, or ない at the end to emphasize the “I can’t believe it” nuance

If you use としたことが about yourself, it sounds self‑deprecating (e.g., 私(わたくし)としたことが、忘れ(わすれ)てしまった ― I of all people forgot). That’s perfectly natural, but be aware it invites the listener to share your surprise.

としたことが example sentences

先輩(せんぱい)としたことが、こんな簡単(かんたん)な字(じ)を間違(まちが)えるなんて。

My senior colleague, of all people, misread such a simple character — I can't believe it.

surprise

あの真面目(まじめ)な社長(しゃちょう)としたことが、会議(かいぎ)に遅刻(ちこく)するとは。

That serious company president of all people was late to a meeting — who would have thought?

disbelief

あれだけ注意(ちゅうい)していた自分(じぶん)としたことが、まさか財布(さいふ)を落(お)とすなんて。

I myself, who had been so careful, of all people dropped my wallet — I can't believe it.

self-deprecation

警察(けいさつ)としたことが、証拠(しょうこ)の管理(かんり)ミスをするとは信(しん)じられない。

The police, of all institutions, made a mistake managing evidence — I find it unbelievable.

institutional

After reading each sentence, look for the gap between what you expect from that person and what actually happened. That gap is exactly what としたことが expresses.

Nuance of としたことが

The key nuance is emotional reaction to a disappointed expectation. The pattern says more about the speaker’s surprise than about the act itself.

The speaker holds a certain image of the person — reliable, smart, dignified.
That image is broken by one specific action.
としたことが highlights the contrast between the person’s status and their failure.

This is different from simply saying “surprisingly” or “unexpectedly.” It’s personal. You can use it about a close friend, a respected teacher, or even yourself — but not about a stranger you have no expectations of.

In many cases, the feeling is more gentle reproach than harsh criticism. Think of it as “Oh no, you too?” rather than “How dare you.”

としたことが vs にしては

Both としたことが and にしては compare reality to an expectation, but they work in opposite directions.

としたことが

of all people, how could this person…

Use when a person with a good reputation does something below their standards.

先生(せんせい)としたことが、遅刻(ちこく)するなんて。

A teacher of all people — how could they be late?

にしては

for a … / considering …

Use when something is better/worse than the norm, not tied to personal reputation.

先生(せんせい)にしては、言葉遣い(ことばづかい)がラフだ。

For a teacher, his language is pretty casual.

If you want to express that the person’s identity makes the failure shocking, use としたことが. If you’re merely comparing to an expected standard, にしては is safer.

Common mistakes with としたことが

❌ 天気(てんき)としたことが、急(きゅう)に雨(あめ)が降っ(ふっ)た。

You can’t use としたことが with inanimate objects or abstract concepts. It only works with people or entities with agency.

✅ 天気予報(てんきよほう)士(し)としたことが、雨(あめ)を見逃す(みのがす)なんて。

❌ 彼(かれ)としたことが、期待(きたい)通り(とおり)に仕事(しごと)を終わら(おわら)せた。

The following clause usually describes something that contradicts expectations. If the result is perfectly in line, としたことが feels off.

✅ 彼(かれ)としたことが、納期(のうき)を忘れる(わすれる)なんてありえない。

Another common slip: forgetting to mark the end with なんて, とは, or ない. Without these, the sentence can feel incomplete or lose its expressive punch. Compare:

❌ 課長(かちょう)としたことが、資料(しりょう)を間違え(まちがえ)た。

✅ 課長(かちょう)としたことが、資料(しりょう)を間違える(まちがえる)なんて。

Is としたことが on the JLPT?

としたことが appears primarily in N1 reading and listening, where it signals a speaker’s emotional surprise. You may encounter it in passages that show internal monologue or subtle interpersonal commentary.

✅ recognition in long texts ✅ choosing the right nuance in contextual questions ✅ less common in stand‑alone grammar multiple choice

For JLPT preparation, train yourself to feel the “of all people” sentiment the instant you see としたことが. The test won’t ask you to translate it — it will ask you to understand the speaker’s attitude.

Practice questions for としたことが

1 Use としたことが to express surprise about a very organized friend who forgot an appointment. casual

2 Write a sentence where a well-known politician does something dishonest. Add としたことが and なんて. news commentary

3 Create a self‑deprecating sentence with 自分(じぶん)としたことが about a small mistake you made. daily chat

4 Rewrite that sentence with にしては instead. How does the nuance change? comparison practice

Keep your first answers short. Once としたことが feels natural, add more context so your surprise comes through clearly.

Learning path for としたことが

1 Be sure you can attach としたことが directly to a person’s name or role without hesitation.

2 Compare it with にしては. Write two sentences about the same situation — one with としたことが, one with にしては — and explain the different feelings to a study partner.

3 Watch a drama or read a novel; pause when a character expresses disbelief about another person. If the original uses としたことが, you’ve caught it. If not, try to rephrase it with としたことが.

4 Review とっさに and とりわけ as they also deal with quick reactions and emphasis, rounding out your N1 toolbox for emotional nuance.

とっさに — because it describes an instant, emotional reaction, often in the same narratives where としたことが appears.
とりわけ — because it singles out something especially true, similar to how としたことが singles out a person.
とて — because とて also highlights an unexpected role or case (even a…), though with a broader scope.
とも～とも — because it frames alternatives, useful in conversations where you debate “whether this person really did that or not.”

Learn としたことが with Hane

If you want to practice としたことが together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you study Japanese in short, focused sessions that build intuition for nuance.

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FAQ about としたことが

What does としたことが (toshita koto ga) mean in Japanese?

としたことが (toshita koto ga) means “of all people, who would have thought”. It is JLPT N1 grammar. Use としたことが when someone you hold in high regard does something that doesn’t match their normal behavior. It carries a tone of “How could they of all people do such a thing?

How do you form としたことが (toshita koto ga)?