JLPT N2Written and spokenForceful

も同どう然ぜんだas good as; practically

Not quite so, but so nearly that the difference doesn't count: as good as won, practically family, next to nothing. It is a forceful way to put it.

after a verb

最さい大だいのライバルが敗はい退たいした今いま、彼かれは優ゆう勝しょうしたも同どう然ぜんだ。

Now that his biggest rival is out, he has as good as won.

after a noun

彼かれは十じゅう年ねん来らいの友ゆう人じんで、もう家か族ぞくも同どう然ぜんだ。

He has been my friend for ten years and is practically family by now.

How to form it

Verb in the た-form or ない-form／noun + も同どう然ぜんだ

勝かったも同どう然ぜんだ, やっていないも同どう然ぜんだ, 家か族ぞくも同どう然ぜんだ. After a noun the も often drops: 家か族ぞく同どう然ぜん. Before a noun it is 同どう然ぜんの.

Before it: What it comes to in practice: 勝かった, 終おわった, 決きまった, 死しんだ; 家か族ぞく, ただ (free), 新しん品ぴん (brand new).
Tone: Strong. You wave the last bit of difference away, so it sounds confident, dramatic or bitter.
Where you'll meet it: Novels, commentary and emphatic talk. In everyday speech, mostly in the set phrases below.

In use

必ひつ要ような書しょ類るいはすべて提てい出しゅつした。あとは承しょう認にんを待まつだけなので、手て続つづきは終おわったも同どう然ぜんだ。

All the documents are in. The only thing left is to wait for approval, so the paperwork is as good as done.

返へん事じを一いっか月げつも放ほう置ちしたのだから、断ことわったも同どう然ぜんだ。

Leaving it unanswered for a whole month is as good as saying no.

休きゅう暇か中ちゅうも毎まい日にち仕し事ごとの連れん絡らくに対たい応おうしていて、休やすんでいないも同どう然ぜんだ。

I've been answering work messages every day of my holiday, so I might as well not have taken one.

Three you'll hear

ただ同どう然ぜんnext to nothing, practically free

この自じ転てん車しゃは友とも達だちからただ同どう然ぜんで譲ゆずってもらった。

A friend let me have this bike for next to nothing.

家か族ぞく同どう然ぜんone of the family

うちの犬いぬは家か族ぞく同どう然ぜんだ。

Our dog is one of the family.

新しん品ぴん同どう然ぜんas good as new

新しん品ぴん同どう然ぜんのカメラを安やすく買かえた。

I got a camera that was as good as new for a low price.

A verdict, not a report

仕し事ごとはほとんど終おわった。

The work is almost finished.

A plain report. A little is left to do.

仕し事ごとは終おわったも同どう然ぜんだ。

The work is as good as finished.

A verdict: what is left doesn't count.

仕し事ごとは終おわったようなものだ。

The work is more or less finished.

The same verdict in a softer, everyday voice.

Close neighbours

て当然だN2

A look-alike with another meaning: 当とう然ぜん, "only natural".

これだけ毎まい日にち練れん習しゅうしていれば、上じょう達たつして当とう然ぜんだ。

Practicing this much every day, of course you get better.

と同じN3

Plain sameness, stated as a fact. も同どう然ぜんだ admits it isn't really the same, and says that makes no difference.

私わたしの意い見けんも彼かれと同おなじだ。

My opinion is the same as his.

Check yourself

1Has he passed?

彼かれの成せい績せきなら、もう合ごう格かくしたも同どう然ぜんだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2"I bought this book for next to nothing."

この本ほんは（　　）で買かった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

彼かの女じょは幼おさない頃ころから一いっ緒しょに育そだったので、姉あねも同どう然ぜんだ。

We grew up together from when we were small, so she is as good as a sister to me.

毎まい月つきの返へん済さいで給きゅう料りょうがほとんど残のこらず、ただ働ばたらきも同どう然ぜんだ。

The monthly repayments leave almost nothing of my pay, so I'm practically working for free.

奨しょう学がく金きんの採さい用よう通つう知ちが届とどき、留りゅう学がくの夢ゆめはかなったも同どう然ぜんだ。

The scholarship letter has come, so my dream of studying abroad has as good as come true.