Naming and framing
Three ways to talk about a whole idea: an activity you like or find hard (-no), a thing by its name (-tte iu), and a conclusion you want to deny (-wake ja nai).
-no
the act of -ing
〜の
After a plain verb, turns the action into a noun so you can say you like it, are good at it or find it hard (ryouri suru no ga suki, iku no wa muri).
ryouri suru no ga suki.
I like cooking.
料理するのが好き。
ryouri suru no ga suki desu.
I like cooking.
料理するのが好きです。
'I like to cook' needs it: *ryouri suru ga suki is wrong. With shumi wa ... and dekiru, use koto instead: shumi wa ryouri suru koto, oyogu koto ga dekiru.
Learn first: suki
-tte iu
called, named
〜っていう
After a name or clause, labels it (sakura tte iu mise = a shop called Sakura) or asks what something is called (nante iu no?).
sakura tte iu mise shitteru?
Do you know a place called Sakura?
さくらっていう店知ってる？
sakura tte iu omise shittemasu ka?
Do you know a place called Sakura?
さくらっていうお店知ってますか？
Careful speech uses to iu (sakura to iu omise). Polite 'what's it called?': nan to iimasu ka? Also a hedge: tte iu ka = or rather.
-wake ja nai
polite -wake ja nai desuit's not that ...
〜わけじゃない 〜わけじゃないです
After a plain clause, denies a conclusion the listener might draw (kirai na wake ja nai), and often trails off into kedo.
kirai na wake ja nai kedo...
It's not that I don't like it, but...
嫌いなわけじゃないけど…
kirai na wake ja nai desu kedo...
It's not that I don't like it, but...
嫌いなわけじゃないですけど…
Trap: without ja it flips: iku wake nai = no way I'm going; iku wake ja nai = it's not that I'm going. Na-adjectives take na (hima na wake ja nai); nouns take na casually, to iu in careful speech. Often opens with betsu ni; more formal: -wake ja arimasen.
Learn first: -kunai / -ja nai, -kedo