JLPT N1Written, formalEmphatic

こそあれ・こそすれ・こそなれthere may be …, but; …, if anything

It grants one thing firmly so that the real point can follow: "there may be differences, but", or "grateful, if anything; certainly not bitter". Written, and for speeches.

意い見けんの違ちがいこそあれ、目め指ざす方ほう向こうは同おなじだ。

We may differ in our opinions, but we are heading in the same direction.

その選せん択たくを尊そん重ちょうこそすれ、非ひ難なんするつもりはない。

I respect that choice, if anything. I have no intention of criticizing it.

こそあれ

Noun + こそあれ

From 違ちがいがある: 違ちがいこそあれ, "there may be differences, but".

こそすれ

する-noun or verb stem + こそすれ

From 感かん謝しゃする: 感かん謝しゃこそすれ. A verb goes in as its ます-stem: 増ふえる → 増ふえこそすれ.

こそなれ

Noun + にこそなれ

From プラスになる: プラスにこそなれ. The rarest of the three.

Each is a plain phrase with こそ dropped in and its verb in an old ending: ある → あれ, する → すれ, なる → なれ.

After こそあれ: The point that matters, positive or negative. Close to …はあるが.
After こそすれ・こそなれ: A negative that shuts the other possibility out, usually the opposite: …ことはない, …などない, …にはならない.
Where you'll meet it: Essays, editorials, speeches, formal letters. People say …はしても and …はあっても: 感かん謝しゃはしても、恨うらんだりしない.

The ones you'll meet

程てい度どの差さこそあれto a greater or lesser degree

程てい度どの差さこそあれ、誰だれにでも苦にが手てなことはある。

To a greater or lesser degree, everyone has something they are bad at.

感かん謝しゃこそすれgrateful, if anything

彼かれには感かん謝しゃこそすれ、恨うらむ気き持もちなどまったくない。

I am grateful to him, if anything. I bear him no grudge whatever.

増ふやしこそすれadds to it, if anything

この制せい度どは現げん場ばの負ふ担たんを増ふやしこそすれ、減へらすことはない。

This system will add to the burden on staff, if anything. It will not reduce it.

プラスにこそなれa plus, if anything

留りゅう学がくの経けい験けんは、就しゅう職しょくにプラスにこそなれ、マイナスにはならない。

Having studied abroad will count for you when you look for a job, if anything. It won't count against you.

Not plain emphasis

Something has to be set against what it grants. Here nothing is.

Not said: 彼かれには感かん謝しゃこそすれ、尊そん敬けいもしている。

(I am grateful to him, and I respect him too.)

感かん謝しゃしているし、尊そん敬けいもしている.

Close neighbours

こそN3

Plain こそ singles one thing out as the one that counts. Nothing has to be ruled out after it.

今日きょうこそレポートを終おわらせる。

Today I really am going to finish the report.

ばこそN1

Also こそ after a verb, but it gives a reason: "precisely because".

彼かれの将しょう来らいを大たい切せつに思おもえばこそ、あえて厳きびしい意い見けんを述のべた。

It was precisely because I care about his future that I deliberately gave him a harsh opinion.

Check yourself

1Which ending fits?

そんな言いい方かたは、相あい手てを怒おこらせこそすれ、（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

多た少しょうの不ふ満まん（　　）、今いまの仕し事ごとを辞やめるつもりはない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

The endings are fossils. In classical Japanese, こそ changed the ending of the verb that closed its clause, and these phrases kept the old ending.

More sentences

真しん摯しな努ど力りょくは評ひょう価かされこそすれ、非ひ難なんされるべきではない。

Sincere effort deserves recognition, if anything. It should not be criticized.

The stem of a passive.

年ねん月げつとともに記き憶おくは薄うすれこそすれ、完かん全ぜんに消きえることはない。

Memories may fade with the years, but they never disappear completely.

データを公こう開かいすれば、組そ織しきへの信しん頼らいは高たかまりこそすれ、損そこなわれることはない。

Publishing the data will increase trust in the organization, if anything. It certainly won't damage it.

状じょう況きょうは悪あっ化かしこそすれ、自し然ぜんに改かい善ぜんする見み込こみはない。

The situation will get worse, if anything. There is no prospect of it improving on its own.

A する-verb can keep its し, too.

経けい験けんの差さこそあれ、参さん加か資し格かくに違ちがいはない。

There may be differences in experience, but the eligibility requirements are the same.

表ひょう現げんに違ちがいこそあれ、両りょう案あんの趣しゅ旨しは同おなじだ。

The wording may differ, but the intent of the two proposals is the same.