# 振り返ってみれば



## *Louis*

Hello guys,

Could you please help me with this? Xx

しかし今から振り返ってみれば、気を散らすものがまったくなかったとはとても言えない。

What does みれば mean here after a verb?

What does もの mean after the verb?

Thank you!!!


----------



## frequency

みれば in this example isn't an important part per se, so you can say 今から振り返れば without changing the meaning.
Is してみれば "try to" or "try ~ing"? Yes and no. In many cases it is perhaps often omitted (See the link). But if you ask what it is, I'd say "a little try".

You're thinking about a past event or situation there.


----------



## *Louis*

Thank you so much for your reply! So how would you translate the sentence, just to understand it better? Thanks!!!


----------



## frequency

Double negation.

_In retrospect, I could hardly say that at that time there was at all nothing disruptive for me._
Guess what it says? (Actually) there was something disruptive for me.
(Don't forget in English double negation isn't good because it's less understandable.)


----------



## SoLaTiDoberman

今から振り返ってみれば
＝今から、振り返って見れば
＝いまから、振り返って見たとしたなら
＝いまから、振り返って見るならば
＝If I reconsider about it now retrospectively,


しかし今から振り返ってみれば、気を散らすものがまったくなかったとはとても言えない。
However, if I reconsider about it retrospectively now, I can hardly say that there was no distraction for me.


----------



## frequency

frequency said:


> In retrospect, I could *can* hardly say that at that time there was at all nothing disruptive *distracting* for me.


I'm sorry for the careless mistakes! Due to my tablet's autocomplete.


----------



## 810senior

*Louis* said:


> しかし今から振り返ってみれば、気を散らすものがまったくなかったとはとても言えない。
> _As I looked back on those days it was hard to say that there had been nothing at all to distract my attention._



振り返る＝to think back on (the past)
気を散らす＝to distract one's direction, to get distracted, to get bothered


----------



## frequency

No~ use "in retrospect". It means 「今思えば、今振り返ればあの時は（やっぱり）・・」. You're contradicting the past event.


----------



## 810senior

> _However, in retrospect, it was hard to say that there had been nothing at all to distract my attention._



Okay I did and yet I can't possibly grasp the point of the contradiction...


P.S.
Tried it again below.
_However, in retrospect, it is rather hard to say that there was nothing at all to distract my attention._


----------



## frequency

> なかったとは言えない。


＝あった（と思う）。ＯＰは、「今思えば、あったと思う。」

ということは、その当時は「なかった」と思ってた。

例えば、_In retrospect, I think that I was wrong. _


----------



## 810senior

Ah I see. Thanks for the correction.


----------

