～ばこそ

How to form it

• Verb / い-adj (ば-form) + こそ
• Noun / な-adj + であればこそ

Register: Formal; emphatic

Explanation

Gives a reason and stresses that it is the real reason behind a result, often a good one.

A stronger and more written form of からこそ.

Examples

1. 健康であればこそ、仕事もできる。

   けんこうであればこそ、しごともできる。

   It is only because I am healthy that I can work.

2. 親が心配すればこそ、厳しく言うのだ。

   おやがしんぱいすればこそ、きびしくいうのだ。

   It is precisely because parents worry that they speak sternly.

3. あなたを信じていればこそ、任せたのだ。

   あなたをしんじていればこそ、まかせたのだ。

   It is precisely because I trusted you that I left it to you.

Compare with

• ～からこそ: からこそ is the common spoken form; ばこそ is stiffer and written.

Common mistakes

• Using it with the plain past instead of the ば-form.