JLPT N2Spoken and writtenOften a complaint

ならともかくit would be one thing if

"It would be one thing if …": you name a case you could accept, then object to the real one. From a child, fine; but an adult?

子こどもならともかく、大人おとながそんな言いい訳わけをするのは困こまる。

From a child it would be one thing, but an adult making that kind of excuse is a problem.

五ご分ふんならともかく、一いち時じ間かんもここで待まつことはできません。

Five minutes would be one thing, but I can't wait here for a whole hour.

How to form it

Noun／plain form + ならともかく

A な-adjective drops だ: 静しずかならともかく. Also のならともかく: 知しらなかったのならともかく, "if you hadn't known, fine".

Before it: The case you could accept: a small amount (五ご分ふん, 一いち度どだけ), someone you would excuse (子こども, 初しょ心しん者しゃ), a condition (安やすい).
After it: The real case and, usually, what is wrong with it: 困こまる, 無む理りだ, できない. A big amount often takes も: 一いち時じ間かんも.
Tone: Usually a complaint, a refusal or disbelief.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation, and opinion in writing.

一いち度どだけならともかく、同おなじミスを何なん度ども繰くり返かえすのは困こまる。

Once would be one thing, but making the same mistake again and again is a problem.

本ほん人にんが希き望ぼうするならともかく、周しゅう囲いが勝かっ手てに進しん路ろを決きめるべきではない。

If it were what they wanted themselves, that would be one thing, but the people around them shouldn't decide their future for them.

緊きん急きゅう時じならともかく、通つう常じょうの業ぎょう務むで個こ人じん情じょう報ほうを持もち出だすことは認みとめられない。

An emergency would be another matter, but taking personal information off the premises in routine work is not allowed.

なら is "if it were": the first half is the case you would have let pass, not the one in front of you. In this one, nobody was joking.

冗じょう談だんならともかく、本ほん気きでそんなことを言いうなんて。

As a joke it would be one thing, but to say that and mean it…

It can stop at なんて, with the disbelief left hanging.

Leaves one point aside to say what matters more. The point left aside is often a weak one.

細こまかい表ひょう現げんはともかく、内ない容ようはよくまとまっている。

Leaving the finer points of wording aside, the content is well organized.

Nearly the same. The first case isn't good either, only easier to put up with.

一いち度どの遅ち刻こくならまだしも、毎まい週しゅう遅ち刻こくするのは困こまる。

Being late once I could put up with, but being late every week is a problem.

1Who came to the interview dressed like that?

学がく生せいならともかく、社しゃ会かい人じんがそんな格かっ好こうで面めん接せつに来くるなんて。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

見みた目め（　　）、味あじはとてもいい。

Choose an answer to see why.

一いっ泊ぱくならともかく、一いっ週しゅう間かんもホテルに泊とまる余よ裕ゆうはない。

One night would be one thing, but I can't afford a whole week in a hotel.

初しょ心しん者しゃならともかく、経けい験けん者しゃがこの規き則そくを知しらないのは問もん題だいだ。

A beginner would be one thing, but for someone with experience not to know this rule is a problem.

静しずかならともかく、夜よ中なかまで音おん楽がくが聞きこえる部屋へやでは眠ねむれない。

If it were quiet, fine, but I can't sleep in a room where you can hear music late into the night.