going back to the beginning (in a discussion, argument, etc.); returning to the fundamental points (of the issue at hand); discussion of how things began (in the first place)
going back to the beginning (in a discussion, argument, etc.); returning to the fundamental points (of the issue at hand); discussion of how things began (in the first place)
Examples (21 in total)
景気とはそもそも何でしょう？
What exactly is the economy?
そもそもどうしてこんなことになってる？
How on earth did it come to this?
そもそもの目的がそれでしたな！
That was our original aim, wasn't it!
そもそもここへ来ては行かなかったのです。
You shouldn't have come here to begin with.
そもそも、仕掛けはとっくに済んでいる。
The setup was finished long ago anyway.
そもそも人前で寝たりしません。
I don't sleep in public in the first place.
私の不在がそもそもの発端ですし。
My absence was the very beginning of it all, after all.
そもそも、どこでトムと会ったの？
Where exactly did you meet Tom?
私はそもそも眠る必要がありません。
I do not need to sleep in the first place.
そもそもなぜ鳥は移動するのだろうか。
In the first place, why do the birds migrate at all?
そもそも私は霊など信じない。
To begin with, I don't believe in spirits or anything like that.
俺のモデルは、そもそも両者を区別しない。
My model doesn't distinguish between the two in the first place.
よくわからないけど、そもそも俺は関係してるのか？
I don't really get it, but am I even involved in this?
いや、そもそも石を売る人っているのか？
No, are there even people who sell stones in the first place?
ひとは、そもそも、弱い生き物なのだと思う。
I think that people are, to begin with, weak creatures.
いや、そもそも働かずに生涯を優雅に過ごせるだろうね。
No, to begin with, they could probably spend their whole life in luxury without working.
彼はそもそも、剣を振るうこともできそうもない。
To begin with, he doesn't even look like he could swing a sword.
お前には王たる資格など、そもそもなかったのさ。
You never had what it takes to be a king in the first place.
そもそも、俺ごときが隙を作れるかも分からないのだ。
I don't even know if someone like me could create an opening in the first place.
そもそも、あれだけの金持ちが、働く必要なんてないだろう。
To begin with, someone that wealthy surely doesn't need to work.
どうでもいい相手であれば、そもそもそんな心理は働かない。
If the other person is someone you don't care about, such a mentality doesn't even come into play in the first place.