Explaining: n da

Stage 1Sentence endings & intentChunk 25 of 26 · items 108–111 of 484

The n/no explanatory frame in four forms: statement, question, soft lead-in and conclusion. All four share one base sentence.

Mix-ups

n da gives the reason and wake da draws the conclusion from it. no? is the question form, and the answer usually comes back with n da. After nouns, all four take na (yasumi na n da, yasumi na no?).

n da

polite n desudrama rank #20

it's that... (explaining)

んだPlay んですPlay

Frames a statement as the explanation or background to the situation: giving reasons, sharing news, or showing you're personally involved.

casualPlay

atama itai n da

My head hurts, you see.

頭痛いんだ

politePlay

atama ga itai n desu

I have a headache, you see.

頭が痛いんです

After nouns and na-adjectives it becomes na n da (yasumi na n da). As a question, use no? (casual) or n desu ka (polite); casual n da? sounds rough. n desu ka about someone's actions can sound like a challenge (nani shite iru n desu ka?).

Learn alongside: no?, n da kedo, wake da, n da yo (Stage 3)

no?

polite n desu kadrama rank #162*

is it that...? (casual question)

の？Play んですかPlay

The everyday casual question that asks about the situation or for an explanation (doushita no?, doko iku no?). It is said with a rising tone and used by everyone.

casualPlay

atama itai no?

Does your head hurt?

頭痛いの？

politePlay

atama ga itai n desu ka?

Does your head hurt?

頭が痛いんですか？

With a falling tone (atama itai no), it is a soft, feminine-leaning statement version of n da.

Learn alongside: n da, n da kedo, wake da, n da yo (Stage 3)Learn first: n da

n da kedo

polite n desu kedodrama rank #37*

the thing is... (lead-in)

んだけどPlay んですけどPlay

Sets out the background and trails off so the listener can offer help. It is the soft way to open a request, a question or a new topic.

casualPlay

chotto atama itai n da kedo

My head kind of hurts, so...

ちょっと頭痛いんだけど

politePlay

chotto atama ga itai n desu kedo

I have a bit of a headache, so...

ちょっと頭が痛いんですけど

Leave the request unsaid, because the listener fills it in. The polite form is the classic opener with clerks.

Learn alongside: n da, no?, wake da, n da yo (Stage 3)Learn first: n da, -kedo

wake da

polite wake desudrama rank #272

so that's why / no wonder

わけだPlay わけですPlay

Draws the conclusion once the reason is known ('no wonder', 'which means'). It is common as sou iu wake (so that's how it is). dou iu wake? demands an explanation (what's going on here?!); the neutral question is dou iu koto?

casualPlay

dakara atama itai wake da

So that's why your head hurts.

だから頭痛いわけだ

politePlay

dakara atama ga itai wake desu ne

So that's why your head hurts.

だから頭が痛いわけですね

Don't confuse it with wake ja nai (it's not that...), which is a separate item.

Learn alongside: n da, no?, n da kedo, n da yo (Stage 3)Learn first: n da