Japanese by Example

Learning through examples in manga

Tag: 〜のだ

  • What score did you get with 〜のだ

    Grammar Explanation

    美少女戦士セーラームーン » Kanzenban Release » Volume 1 » Page 20

    After failing a test at school, Usagi drowns her sorrows at the arcade. She returns home late and find her mother expecting her.

    お母(かあ)さん：
    「さっき　そこで海野(うみの)クンに会(あ)ったわよ。海野(うみの)くんテストで９５点(てん)だったって」
    「で、うさぎは何店(なんてん)だったの？」
    “I saw Umino a while ago. He said he scored 95 points on a test.”
    “So, what was your score, Usagi?”
    Literal: “So, it is that your score is how many points, Usagi?”

    Usagi’s mother has the observation that Usagi has received a grade on her test, but the observation is incomplete as she does not know how many points Usagi received.

  • Did you come to get me with 〜のだ

    Grammar Explanation

    ふらいんぐうぃっち » Volume 1 » Page 7

    After getting off the intercity bus, Makoto is greeted by her cousin Kei.

    真琴(まこと)：
    「迎(むか)えに来(き)てくれたんですか？」
    “Did you come to get me?”
    Literal: “Is it that you came to get me?”
    圭(けい)：
    「あぁ　そうだよ」
    “Yeah, that’s right.”

    Makoto’s incomplete observation is that her cousin is at the bus stop. The part she is unaware of is why he is there. She comes up with the most obvious reason, that Kei came to the bus stop to get her and show her to his house where she will be staying.

    There was never an exchange where Makoto asks why Kei is there. Asking if it’s the case that he’s picking her up implies that she’s inquiring as to the reason why he’s there.

  • Selling bananas with 〜のだ

    Grammar Explanation

    三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 1 » Page 22

    Sacchan receives an urgent message from her mother. She and her friends hurry to Sacchan’s mother’s fruit store to find out what the issue is. Sacchan’s mother explains that the store has too many unsold bananas. If they don’t sell out today, Sacchan will be eating bananas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a while.

    お母(かあ)さん：
    「ということでバナナを売(う)り歩(ある)いてくるのだカラーズ諸君(しょくん)」
    “That said, you’re going around selling the bananas for me, my dear Colors.”
    Literal: “That said, it is that you’re going around selling the bananas for me, my dear Colors.”

    Sacchan learns that she was called because there was an overstock of bananas, but she doesn’t know why she was called over this reason. Her mother fills in the cause of the call, that Sacchan (and her friends) will be tasked with selling the extra bananas.

  • Is your dad still a detective with 〜のだ

    Grammar Explanation

    名探偵コナン » Volume 1 » Page 12

    Ran seems angry as Shin’ichi basks in the media attention he’s getting for solving a difficult case. When Shin’ichi asks Ran why she’s angry, she points out that it’s because of Shin’ichi that her father’s been getting fewer case requests.

    蘭(らん)：
    「怒(おこ)ってなんかいませんよー！！」
    “I’m not at all angry!”
    新一(しんいち)：
    「あれー？蘭(らん)の父(とう)さん、まだ探偵(たんてい)やってたのか？」
    “Huh? Your dad was still working as a detective?”
    Literal: “Huh? Is it that your dad was still working as a detective?”

    Shin’ichi has the incomplete observation that Ran’s father is losing work taking cases because of Shin’ichi’s detective work.

    Considering how bad Ran’s father is at being a detective, it’s surprising to Shin’ichi that he’s still in the detective business.

    However, based on Ran’s remark, Shin’ichi reasons that her father must still be working as a detective. He puts this as a question for confirmation.

  • Reasoning with 〜のだ

    One of the trickier Japanese grammar structures for English natives to get used to is のだ.

    Examples of 〜のだ

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