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Formation: V-た + ところで; often いくら／どんなに／たとえ + V-た + ところで

Says that even if X happens or is done, the result will be useless, or only small. The tone is resigned, dismissive or pessimistic. The main clause gives the speaker's judgment, such as 無駄だ, 〜ない, 〜だけだ or せいぜい〜だ. It cannot report a past fact, and it cannot be a request or the speaker's will. Do not confuse it with 〜たところ, which reports what actually happened after you did something ('when I did X, I found…'). It is close to 〜ても始まらない and 〜としても, but たところで stresses that the action is pointless. In casual speech, 〜たって is used in the same way.

Variants: いくら〜たところで、どんなに〜たところで、たとえ〜たところで

Examples

• 今さら謝ったところで、彼女は許してくれないだろう。
  Even if I apologize now, she probably won't forgive me.
• いくら急いだところで、もう終電には間に合わない。
  No matter how much we hurry, we won't make the last train now.
• 値上がりしたところで、せいぜい数十円程度だ。
  Even if the price does go up, it'll only be by a few dozen yen at most.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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