Grammar › Purpose & Perspective
にとって — “for, from the perspective of”
Frames a statement as true specifically from one person's or thing's point of view
Noun + にとって marks whose standpoint a judgment is being made from — “for X (looking at it from their position), …”. It typically pairs with evaluative words like 大切だ, 難しい, 重要だ, and can't be followed directly by another particle (use とっては or にとっての + noun instead).
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + にとって + evaluation | 私にとって、家族が一番大切です — For me, family is the most important thing |
| Noun modifier: にとっての | 学生にとっての一番の悩み — students' number-one worry |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| この試験は留学生にとって難しいです。 | このしけんはりゅうがくせいにとってむずかしいです。 konoshikenharyuugakuseinitottemuzukashiidesu。 | This exam is difficult for international students. |
| 子供にとって、遊びはとても大切です。 | こどもにとって、あそびはとてもたいせつです。 kodomonitotte、asobihatotemotaisetsudesu。 | For children, play is very important. |
| 彼にとって、家族が何よりも大事だ。 | かれにとって、かぞくがなによりもだいじだ。 karenitotte、kazokugananiyorimodaijida。 | For him, family matters more than anything. |
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Watch out
にとって judges something from someone's viewpoint (subjective evaluation) — don't use it for a direct action toward someone, which needs plain に instead: 彼に親切だ (kind to him), not 彼にとって親切だ.