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Formation: N + というと／といえば／といったら; plain form + というと (to check what someone means); X といえば X だが

Mentioning a topic brings to mind the most typical thing linked with it (京都といえば寺). This is also a common way to change the subject in conversation and in essays. 〜というと is also used to check what someone meant (明日というと土曜日ですか). The set phrase X といえば X だが grants a point half-heartedly (it is X, I suppose, but…). 〜について and 〜に関して simply name the subject being discussed, while this pattern is about association. Do not confuse it with 〜といっても, which corrects the impression that the word X might give.

Variants: といえば、といったら、そういえば、って言うと

Examples

• 日本の夏といえば、やはり花火大会だろう。
  When you think of summer in Japan, fireworks festivals have to come first.
• 「佐藤さんが辞めるそうです」「佐藤さんというと、経理の？」
  "Apparently Sato's quitting." "Sato? You mean the one in accounting?"
• 不便といえば不便だが、静かな暮らしが気に入っている。
  I suppose it's inconvenient, but I like the quiet life.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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