4
votes
The meanings of ものだ
The second and fourth ones are the case where it is kind of a general rule or expectation. It translates as "should (always)", and could be replaced with 〜べき.
約束は守るものだ → You should always keep ...
- 44.8k
4
votes
Accepted
Use of もの in this sentence
今ならまだ一匹しか死んでいないものが、次の日にはまた一匹死んでしまうかもよ
Only one is dead for now, but the next day another one may die.
This ものが is relatively rare, and it's a kind of connector which implies the mentioned situation ...
- 337k
4
votes
What does こと mean?
こと can refer to many things, including:
koto (this Japanese musical instrument)
to make up a cover story; glossing over
ancient capital; old city
difference
(sound) click; tick; knock
word; phrase
...
4
votes
Accepted
交わり合わないような項目同士 translation
Your translation is fine. Did you notice that 同士 is actually "reflected" in your English? I mean:
subjects
同士 might be a tricky word, but not totally untranslatable to English if you bear with a ...
- 52.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Meaning of the phase: 筋ってもんだ
I suspect the core of your confusion comes from not knowing a meaning of 筋{すじ} which is applicable in both of your sentences; that is:
❺ 物事の論理的な流れ。道理。
「➖の通った話」
明鏡国語辞典 第二版
This usage of 筋 is ...
- 16.5k
4
votes
Does こと mean 'thing' in the following context?
This こと simply means "(intangible) thing". Simpler examples are:
悲しいこと sad thing / something sad
嬉しいこと happy thing / something happy
簡単なこと easy thing / something easy
Likewise, 訳の分からないこと means "...
- 337k
4
votes
Accepted
Why is は used in phrases with はず, if they are formal nouns that take a subordinate clause?
Technically, 高い and 高かった are the short subordinate clauses that modify はず. Japanese relative clauses can be very short. As you said, the word marked with は is working as a topic of the entire sentence....
- 337k
3
votes
Accepted
Parse the sentence 「この保証書は、記載の内容で無料修理を行うことをお約束するものです」
First, understand the construct 「この〜は〜ものです」. It's a pattern used to describe the power of something (usually an official document or some artifact). For example, 「パスポートは各国に国民の安全な通行を要請するもです」,「王冠は、...
- 16.9k
3
votes
Noun+なの, when の is the indefinite pronoun?
That is to say, can you say Ａなの to mean "the one that's A"?
Yes. Just as 安いの means "cheap ones", 安価なの means "cheap ones", too. In this case, の is not a nominalizer but a ...
- 337k
3
votes
Noun+なの, when の is the indefinite pronoun?
First, な is the way to connect relative clauses to nouns, and NOT reserved specifically for の. In English, you use the word that to connect nouns to relative clauses, such as the man that likes ...
- 3,964
3
votes
Using まで together with a negative connotation 帰らないつもりです in a sentence
帰らないつもりです - I do not have the intention of returning.
帰るつもりです - I have the intention of returning.
The conversation goes:
Q: Are you going to return home for the summer holidays?
A: No, I don't plan ...
- 3,982
2
votes
How to use 〜かのよう{に・な・だ}
It seems to me that "かのように" adds a touch of surprise and personal comment in the meaning, while "ように" is simply narrating a phenomenon, which is more objective, and with less personal feelings or ...
- 131
2
votes
What is the use of ものでしょうか in this context? 「今から治療して間に合うものでしょうか？」
There is no negation in this question, and it's not a rhetoric question, either. It's a simple question about whether they can make it in time for treatment. This もの adds a mild "generalizing&...
- 337k
2
votes
Noun+なの, when の is the indefinite pronoun?
To add to @dvx2718's answer which is correct is that the key to your misunderstanding seems to be not realizing that there are two “〜の”. One is a genitive marker, comparable to “of” in English, the ...
- 2,092
1
vote
Noun+なの, when の is the indefinite pronoun?
According to Samuel Martin as explained in his “A reference grammar of Japanese language” the Japanese particle (の) is the conflation of different particles which stems from different etyma.
He lists ...
- 147
1
vote
Accepted
Choice of 形式名詞: ところ vs こと vs もの
ところ is definitely the most common way to say it. I think it has to do with the fact that in Japan, exams are a lot about what's written in the textbook (so ところ roughly means "where in the ...
- 16.9k
1
vote
Accepted
Does こと mean 'thing' in the following context?
As you say, the こと means “thing” in this sentence.
私には人を殺す才能や生き残る才能などの生まれついての暗殺者としての才能があること is the 意味のわからないこと(nonsense thing).
- 1,030
1
vote
ものだ expressing ambiguous emotions/concern?
In my understanding the purpose behind saying ...ものだ is for the speaker to express their belief that "..." is something everyone would agree upon, something without question, something objectively ...
- 7,441
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible