2008 年 05 月8 日
...んです。...のです。
...んです is an expression used to explain causes, reasons, grounds
etc strongly. ...んです is used in spoken language only, while ...のです
is used in written language. ...んです used in the following ways:
~んですか。
- When the speaker guesses the reason or the cause as to
what he has seen or heard and then confirms whether he is correct.
- 田中 さんは時々 おおさかべん を はなしますね - Mr. Tanaka, you sometimes
speak Osaka dialect (don't you?).
- おおさか に すんで いたん ですか。 - Have you lived in Osaka?
- When the speaker asks for information about what he has
seen or heard.
- おもしろい デザイン の くつ ですね。- The design of your shoes is interesting...
- どこで かったん ですか。- Where did you buy them?
- When the speaker asks the listener to explain the reason
or the cause of what he has seen or heard.
- どうして おくれたん ですか。- Why were you late?
- When asking for an explanation of a situation.
- どおしたん ですか。- What's the matter?
Note ~ んです sometimes contains the speaker's suprise, suspicion,
strong curiosity etc. Inappropriate use, therefore, may offend the listener,
so it is necessary to be careful with this expression.
~ んです is not used to merely describe the facts as shown in the following
example:
私 は 田中 けん です。- I am Ken Tanaka.
私 は 田中 けんなん です。