～たはいいが

It's all well and good but...

休やすみの日ひに早はやく起おきたはいいが何なにもすることがない。

It's all well and good that I woke up early on my day off, but I have nothing to do.

Explanation

「Vたはいいが」 means 'it's fine that I did V, but...'. The first thing went through, but an unexpected problem or embarrassment follows. 「家を買ったはいいが、ローンの返済に苦しんでいる」 (Buying the house was fine, but paying off the loan is a struggle), 「車を買ったはいいが、置く場所がない」 (I bought a car, but have nowhere to park it). It has a wry, self-inflicted-trouble feel. It always takes the 「た」 form of the verb.

Mixed up with

「たところで」: even if you do it, it is pointless (see 「たところで」).

「たものの」: a neutral turn, 'I did it, but reality differs from the plan': 「大学を卒業したものの、就職難だ」.

「たはいいが」: very everyday; you did it on impulse or with high hopes, then found trouble and cannot see how to finish. It carries annoyance and self-mockery.

Easily confused withたところで・～たはいいが: the difference ›

Examples

満員まんいん電車でんしゃで席せきに座すわれたはいいが、降おりたい駅えきで立たち上あがるのが大変たいへんだ。
It's all well and good that I managed to get a seat on the crowded train, but it's hard to stand up at the station where I want to get off.
引ひっ越こしたはいいが、まだ荷物にもつが届とどいていない。
It's all well and good that I moved, but my stuff hasn't arrived yet.
社長しゃちょうに褒ほめられたはいいが上司じょうしから妬ねたまれそうだ。
It's all well and good that I was praised by the company president, but it seems my boss is going to be jealous.
晩ばんご飯はんを作つくったはいいが大量たいりょうに作つくりすぎて困こまっている。
It's all well and good that I made dinner, but I made way too much and don't know what to do.
ジムに通かよい始はじめたはいいが３日みっかで飽あきてしまった。
It's all well and good that I started going to the gym, but I got bored of it in three days.
無事ぶじ就職しゅうしょくできたはいいが入社にゅうしゃ前まえと入社にゅうしゃ後ごのギャップに疲つかれ果はてている。
It's all well and good that I successfully got a job, but I am exhausted by the gap between my expectations before joining and the reality after.
彼女かのじょはオリンピックで１位いちいを取とったはいいが燃もえ尽つき症候群しょうこうぐんに悩なやまされているそうだ。
It's all well and good that she took first place at the Olympics, but I hear she is suffering from burnout syndrome.
脱毛だつもうした部分ぶぶんから毛けが生はえてきたはいいが白髪しらがしか生はえてこない。
It's all well and good that hair started growing back in the area where I got laser hair removal, but only white hairs are growing.
娘むすめが私立しりつ大学だいがくに合格ごうかくしたはいいが今後こんご４年間よねんかんの学費がくひが心配しんぱいでならない。
It's all well and good that my daughter got accepted into a private university, but I am endlessly worried about the tuition fees for the next four years.
彼かれの苦くるしそうな様子ようすを見みて黙だまってはいられないと思おもい声こえをかけたはいいが、うまく言葉ことばが出でてこなかった。
It's all well and good that I called out to him because I couldn't bear to stay silent seeing him in pain, but the words just wouldn't come out right.
婦人服ふじんふくセールで安やすくなっているのをいいことにたくさん買かったはいいが、結局けっきょくほとんど着きていない。
It's all well and good that I bought a lot taking advantage of the cheap prices at the women's clothing sale, but in the end, I hardly wear any of it.
キャンプ用品ようひんを何なにから何なにまで揃そろえたはいいが、当日とうじつは豪雨ごううで結局けっきょく使つかわずじまいだった。
It's all well and good that I gathered together absolutely all the camping gear, but there was a heavy downpour on the day of the trip and it ended up going unused.
３ヶ月さんかげつで１５ｋｇも痩やせたはいいが、すぐにリバウンドして体重たいじゅうが戻もどってしまった。
It's all well and good that I lost 15kg in three months, but I immediately rebounded and gained the weight back.
５０歳ごじゅっさいにして初はじめて海外かいがい旅行りょこうに行いけたのはいいが、実際じっさいは英語えいごが話はなせなくて苦労くろうした。
It's all well and good that I was able to travel overseas for the first time at 50 years old, but in reality, I struggled because I couldn't speak English.
宝たからくじに当あたったはいいが、情報じょうほうが漏もれていないかと不安ふあんで怯おびえる毎日まいにちである。
It's all well and good that I won the lottery, but every day I am terrified and anxious that information about it might have leaked.

Explanation

Mixed up with

「たところで」: even if you do it, it is pointless (see 「たところで」).

「たものの」: a neutral turn, 'I did it, but reality differs from the plan': 「大学を卒業したものの、就職難だ」.

「たはいいが」: very everyday; you did it on impulse or with high hopes, then found trouble and cannot see how to finish. It carries annoyance and self-mockery.

Examples

満員まんいん電車でんしゃで席せきに座すわれたはいいが、降おりたい駅えきで立たち上あがるのが大変たいへんだ。
It's all well and good that I managed to get a seat on the crowded train, but it's hard to stand up at the station where I want to get off.
引ひっ越こしたはいいが、まだ荷物にもつが届とどいていない。
It's all well and good that I moved, but my stuff hasn't arrived yet.
社長しゃちょうに褒ほめられたはいいが上司じょうしから妬ねたまれそうだ。
It's all well and good that I was praised by the company president, but it seems my boss is going to be jealous.
晩ばんご飯はんを作つくったはいいが大量たいりょうに作つくりすぎて困こまっている。
It's all well and good that I made dinner, but I made way too much and don't know what to do.
ジムに通かよい始はじめたはいいが３日みっかで飽あきてしまった。
It's all well and good that I started going to the gym, but I got bored of it in three days.
無事ぶじ就職しゅうしょくできたはいいが入社にゅうしゃ前まえと入社にゅうしゃ後ごのギャップに疲つかれ果はてている。
It's all well and good that I successfully got a job, but I am exhausted by the gap between my expectations before joining and the reality after.
彼女かのじょはオリンピックで１位いちいを取とったはいいが燃もえ尽つき症候群しょうこうぐんに悩なやまされているそうだ。
It's all well and good that she took first place at the Olympics, but I hear she is suffering from burnout syndrome.
脱毛だつもうした部分ぶぶんから毛けが生はえてきたはいいが白髪しらがしか生はえてこない。
It's all well and good that hair started growing back in the area where I got laser hair removal, but only white hairs are growing.
娘むすめが私立しりつ大学だいがくに合格ごうかくしたはいいが今後こんご４年間よねんかんの学費がくひが心配しんぱいでならない。
It's all well and good that my daughter got accepted into a private university, but I am endlessly worried about the tuition fees for the next four years.
彼かれの苦くるしそうな様子ようすを見みて黙だまってはいられないと思おもい声こえをかけたはいいが、うまく言葉ことばが出でてこなかった。
It's all well and good that I called out to him because I couldn't bear to stay silent seeing him in pain, but the words just wouldn't come out right.
婦人服ふじんふくセールで安やすくなっているのをいいことにたくさん買かったはいいが、結局けっきょくほとんど着きていない。
It's all well and good that I bought a lot taking advantage of the cheap prices at the women's clothing sale, but in the end, I hardly wear any of it.
キャンプ用品ようひんを何なにから何なにまで揃そろえたはいいが、当日とうじつは豪雨ごううで結局けっきょく使つかわずじまいだった。
It's all well and good that I gathered together absolutely all the camping gear, but there was a heavy downpour on the day of the trip and it ended up going unused.
３ヶ月さんかげつで１５ｋｇも痩やせたはいいが、すぐにリバウンドして体重たいじゅうが戻もどってしまった。
It's all well and good that I lost 15kg in three months, but I immediately rebounded and gained the weight back.
５０歳ごじゅっさいにして初はじめて海外かいがい旅行りょこうに行いけたのはいいが、実際じっさいは英語えいごが話はなせなくて苦労くろうした。
It's all well and good that I was able to travel overseas for the first time at 50 years old, but in reality, I struggled because I couldn't speak English.
宝たからくじに当あたったはいいが、情報じょうほうが漏もれていないかと不安ふあんで怯おびえる毎日まいにちである。
It's all well and good that I won the lottery, but every day I am terrified and anxious that information about it might have leaked.

～たはいいが

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

～たはいいが

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

Tested once in past papers