もっとも: 'The Most' (Superlative) vs. 'That Said' (Meaning + Examples)
Meaning 1: "The most" — a formal superlative
Placed directly before an い-adjective, な-adjective, or verb, もっとも marks the highest degree on a scale — the same job 一番 does in casual speech, but with a more formal, written register common in essays, guidebooks, and awards.
１９９５年、安藤氏は建築におけるもっとも権威ある賞を受賞した。
１９９５ねん、あんどうしは けんちくにおける もっとも けんいある しょうを じゅしょうした。
In 1995, Mr. Ando received the most prestigious award in architecture.
もっとも + adjective-like phrase (権威ある) = superlative.
有明海は日本でもっとも広い干潟の一つです。
ありあけかいは にほんで もっとも ひろい ひがたの ひとつです。
Ariake Bay is one of Japan's widest tidal flats.
もっとも広い = 'the widest.'
やったんが作ったクッキーは、店でもっともおいしいと評判だ。
やったんが つくった クッキーは、みせで もっとも おいしいと ひょうばんだ。
The word is that the cookies Yattan made are the tastiest in the shop.
Original example: もっとも + い-adjective.
Form: もっとも + adjective/verb
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | もっとも + adj | もっとも広い (the widest) |
| な-adjective | もっとも + adj(な) | もっとも有名な (the most famous) |
| Verb-based description | もっとも + description | もっとも危険な条件 (the most dangerous condition) |
オルダス・ハックスリーは、人間にとってもっとも危険な条件は倦怠だと考えた。
オルダス・ハックスリーは、にんげんにとって もっとも きけんな じょうけんは けんたいだと かんがえた。
Aldous Huxley thought that the most dangerous condition for humans was boredom.
Meaning 2: "That said…" — a conjunction adding a reservation
もっとも can also open a new sentence (usually followed by a comma) as a conjunction, meaning "that said / however / mind you." It doesn't contradict the previous statement outright — it just adds a qualification or exception to it, more softly than でも or しかし.
もちは毎日ジョギングをしている。もっとも、雨の日は休むけれど。
もちは まいにち ジョギングを している。もっとも、あめの ひは やすむけれど。
Mochi jogs every day. That said, she skips it on rainy days.
Conjunction もっとも: adds a reservation, doesn't contradict outright.
The short version
- もっとも（最も） before an adjective/verb = "the most" — a formal superlative, like written 一番.
- もっとも at the start of a new sentence = "that said / however" — a softer qualifier than しかし.
- Attaches to: い-adjectives, な-adjectives, and descriptive verb phrases (superlative use).
- Don't confuse with: 一番, which means the same as the superlative but is more casual/spoken.
Practice it
Choose もっとも where the sentence marks a superlative ('the most') degree.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
１９９５年、安藤氏は建築における＿＿＿権威ある賞を受賞した。
Where もっとも fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜けど / 〜が · N5 — けど and が join two clauses to mean 'but' or 'although': 高いけど買う. が is more formal, けど is conversational. Learn both, plus the polite softener use (すみませんが…).
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- もう少しで〜ところだった — もう少しで pairs with 〜ところだった to mean 'almost / nearly' happened but didn't: もう少しで電車に乗り遅れるところだった ('I nearly missed the train'). Marks a close call that was narrowly avoided.
- むしろ — むしろ is an adverb meaning 'rather / instead / on the contrary' — it rejects one option and points to a better or more accurate one, often paired with よりも or くらいなら for contrast.
- 〜なお — なお is a formal sentence-initial adverb meaning 'furthermore' or 'additionally' — it tacks on a supplementary note or caveat to what was just said, common in notices and business writing.
- 〜にあたり — 〜にあたり is a formal expression meaning 'at the time of' or 'on the occasion of,' marking an important, often one-time event or action as the backdrop for what follows — typical of speeches and greetings.
- 〜に反して — 〜に反して means 'contrary to' — it marks an expectation, prediction, or rule that turns out to be opposite of what actually happened, common with 予想 and 期待.
- 〜に限る — 〜に限る means 'nothing beats / the best thing is,' expressing a personal, experience-based recommendation: 暑い日は冷たいビールに限る ('on a hot day, nothing beats a cold beer'). Attaches to nouns or plain-form verbs.