Introduction
Have you ever wanted to say “as a student,” “as a professional,” or “using something as a tool” in Japanese?
For example:
- “I use my smartphone as a dictionary and a camera.”
- “As a friend, I want to support you.”
When you want to describe someone’s role, status, category, or function, JLPT N3 grammar Nとして (N to shite) is a very natural pattern.
1. Meaning: What does Nとして mean?
Nとして means “as N” or “in the role/capacity of N.”
You can use it for:
- a person’s role/position (teacher, leader, friend, parent)
- a person’s category/identity (artist, beginner, foreigner)
- an object’s function/use (“use X as Y”)
Common English equivalents:
- as N
- in the role of N
- in the capacity of N
- (use) as
2. Formation
Noun + として + (statement)
- In this pattern, N is always a noun. E.g., 先生として = as a teacher
- However, in other usages of “～として,” it may not be a noun. Details will be explained later.
- と (particle): Marks a label/category.
- して (verb form: する → して)
- する is an irregular verb (“to do”). Here it appears in the て-form: する → して.
N1としての + N2
A very common set pattern meaning “N as an N” (role-based noun phrase).
この事件について、あなたの医師としての意見を聞きたいです。= I would like to hear your professional opinion as a physician regarding this case.
Nとして+は
Nとしては adds は to highlight the role as a topic, and it often sounds like “as far as N is concerned (in that role)” or can imply a contrast.
- 親としては、子に幸せになってほしい。= As a parent, I want my child to be happy.
～としまして / ～といたしまして
These are polite version of Nとして, often accompanied by the particle “は”.
- 我が社としましては、その案に反対です。= As for our company, we oppose that proposal.
3. Useful Examples
兄はマンガ家として有名です。
My brother is famous as a manga artist.
私はスマートフォンを辞書やカメラとして使っています。
I use my smartphone as a dictionary and a camera.
ジョンさんは留学生として日本に来ました。
John came to Japan as an international student.
この部屋は会議室として使えます。
This room can be used as a meeting room.
4. Related grammar
Nにしては
Nにしては (Contrary to expectations): “For an N…” or “Considering it’s N…” (The result is surprising or different from the standard expectation).
Example: For a foreigner, his Japanese is really good! = surprising/praise
Incorrect: 彼は外国人として、日本語が上手だ。
Correct: 彼は外国人にしては、日本語が上手だ。
～ようとして / V (volitional form) + ようとする
The following grammar points look very similar to Nとして because they share the word として, but they are completely different structures using the volitional form of verbs. Don’t mix them up!
～ようとする = attempt to do
It connects to the verb’s volitional form.
～ようとして: te-form of “～ようとする”
- 棚の上の荷物を取ろうとして、椅子から落ちてしまった。= I tried to take the luggage on the shelf and ended up falling off the chair.
- 家を出ようとして、今日は会社が休みだったことを思い出した。= I was about to leave home, then I remembered that the office was closed today.
～ようとしている / be about to
～ようとしている: “be about to / be on the verge of”, “soon / any moment now” (a change is imminent)
- 電車が駅を出ようとしている。= The train is about to leave the station.
- 冬が終わろうとしている。= Winter is about to end.
Nにとって (from N’s standpoint)
Nとして = role/capacity.
Nにとって = viewpoint/standpoint.
- 留学生として日本に来ました。= I came to Japan as an international student.
- 留学生にとって日本はいい国だと思います。= I think Japan is a good country for international students.
5. Practice
Translate the following English into Japanese using Nとして.
| English | Example Answer |
|---|---|
| John is famous as a writer. | ジョンは作家として有名です。 |
| I use this app as a calendar. | 私はこのアプリをカレンダーとして使っています。 |
| I came to Japan as an international student. | 留学生として日本に来ました。 |
FAQ
- QWhat is the difference between Nとして and Nにとって?
- A
Nとして focuses on a role, title, or function (“As a teacher, I must guide my students”).
Nにとって focuses on a viewpoint or evaluation (“For a teacher, grading papers is tough”).
If you can replace it with “from the perspective of,” use にとって. If you can replace it with “in the capacity of,” use として.
- QWhy do people sometimes say としては (to shite wa) instead of just として?
- A
Adding the particle は (wa) brings the role to the topic of the sentence, often to create a contrast or set a boundary.
For example: 趣味としては楽しいが、仕事としてはやりたくない = As a hobby it’s fun, but as a job I don’t want to do it.
It implies “speaking specifically in THIS role (and maybe not in others).”
- QIs there a polite or business version of Nとして?
- A
In formal situations, such as business emails or public speeches, you will sometimes hear ～としまして or ～といたしまして.
For example: 弊社としましては、その提案に反対です。= As for our company, we oppose that proposal.
Note: 弊社 is a humble, formal word meaning “our company.” It’s commonly used in business emails, customer service, and official statements to refer to the speaker’s own company politely.
- QCan I use Nとして for negative sentences?
- A
If you want to say “Not as an N, but…”, you can say 〜としてではなく (to shite dewa naku)
社長としてではなく、一人の友人として話を聞いてください。= Please listen to me not as the president, but as a friend.
Conclusion
In this article, you learned how to use Nとして (N to shite) to express “as N” in Japanese—showing a person’s role/capacity or an object’s function/use.
With this grammar, you can now:
- describe someone’s identity or position more naturally,
- talk about responsibilities and opinions “in the role of N,”
- and explain how you use things “as” tools in everyday Japanese.
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