にしたら・
These forms present a judgment by mentally putting yourself in a person’s or group’s position. They are especially natural when discussing worries, burdens, benefits, difficulty, or interpretations that may look different from that position.
How the viewpoint works
The speaker is not simply naming who has an opinion. The speaker infers how a situation probably feels or appears after mentally taking that party’s position. For that reason, the following judgment should be something that can genuinely change with the viewpoint holder.
The four main forms
The viewpoint holder may be an individual, a social group, or an institution.
新入社員にしたら、質問しにくい雰囲気は大きな負担だ。
From a new employee’s point of view, an atmosphere where it is hard to ask questions is a major burden.
Analyze保護者にすれば、授業料だけでなく通学の安全も気になる。
From the parents’ point of view, not only tuition but also safety on the way to school is a concern.
Analyze大学側にしても、予算が限られる中ですべての要望に応えるのは難しい。
From the university’s point of view, it is difficult to meet every request with a limited budget.
Analyze何気ない冗談だったのだろうが、私にしてみれば、長年の努力を笑われたようでつらかった。
It was probably meant as a casual joke, but from my point of view, it felt as though years of effort were being laughed at, and that hurt.
Analyzeにしてみれば presents the speaker’s own experience as a position for others to imagine, so 私 is natural here.
Imagined position, neutral evaluation, or role
In the example below, にしてみれば invites the reader to imagine the patient’s experience. Using にとって would more neutrally identify the patient as the person affected by the evaluation. Using としては would instead emphasize the category or role of being a patient.
患者にしてみれば、検査結果を一週間も待つのは不安だろう。
If you put yourself in the patient’s position, having to wait a whole week for the test results must be worrying.
AnalyzeMore examples
子どもにしたら、一週間はずいぶん長く感じられる。
To a child, a week can feel extremely long.
Analyze店員にすれば、閉店直前に大勢の客が来ると対応が大変だ。
From the staff’s point of view, it is difficult to handle a large group of customers arriving just before closing.
Analyze住民側にしても、工事の必要性は理解しているが、半年間の騒音は心配だ。
From the residents’ point of view, they understand the need for the construction, but six months of noise is still a concern.
Analyze会社側にしてみれば、十分に説明したつもりだったのかもしれない。
From the company’s point of view, perhaps it believed it had explained matters fully.
Analyze彼にしてみたら、理由も聞かれずに責められたのだから、納得できなかっただろう。
If you put yourself in his position, he was blamed without even being asked why, so he probably could not accept it.
Analyze患者の家族にしたら、結果を待つ時間がいちばんつらい。
For the patient’s family, the time spent waiting for the results is the hardest part.
Analyze