LearnJapanese Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese





Special Expressions with Generic Nouns

Posted by Tae Kim

We've already learned how to use generic nouns in order to modify nouns. Now we will go over some special expression used with generic nouns.

Using 「こと」 to say whether something has happened

Vocabulary

  1. こと - event, matter
  2. ある (u-verb) - to exist (inanimate)
  3. 徹夜 【てつ・や】 - staying up all night
  4. 宿題 【しゅく・だい】 - homework
  5. する (exception) - to do
  6. 一人 【ひとり】 - 1 person; alone
  7. 行く 【い・く】 (u-verb) - to go
  8. パリ - Paris
  9. お寿司 【お・す・し】- sushi
  10. 食べる 【たべ・る】 (ru-verb) - to eat
  11. 日本 【に・ほん】 - Japan
  12. 映画 【えい・が】 - movie
  13. 観る 【み・る】 (ru-verb) - to watch
  14. ヨーロッパ - Europe
  15. いい (i-adj) - good
  16. そう - (things are) that way
  17. 言う 【い・う】 (u-verb) - to say
  18. 見る 【み・る】 (ru-verb) - to see
  19. ~度 【~ど】 - counter for number of times

When you combine 「こと」, the generic word for an event with 「ある」, you can talk about whether an event exists or not.

Examples

  1. 徹夜して宿題することある
    There are times when I do homework while staying up all night.
  2. 一人行くことありません
    I never go by myself.

Using the past tense of the verb with 「こと」, you can talk about whether an event has ever taken place. This is essentially the only way you can say "have done" in Japanese so this is a very useful expression. You need to use this grammar any time you want to talk about whether someone has ever done something.

Examples

  1. パリ行ったことありますか。
    Have you ever gone to Paris?
  2. お寿司食べたことある
    I've had sushi before.
  3. 日本映画観たことないの?
    You've never seen a Japanese movie?
  4. ヨーロッパ行ったことあったらいいな。
    It would be nice if I ever go to Europe.
  5. そういうのを見たことなかった
    I had never seen anything like that.
  6. 一度行ったことないんです。
    I've never gone, not even once.

Using 「ところ」 as an abstract place

Vocabulary

  1. 所 【ところ】 - place
  2. 早い 【はや・い】 (i-adj) - fast; early
  3. 来る 【く・る】 (exception) - to come
  4. 映画 【えい・が】 - movie
  5. 今 【いま】 - now
  6. ちょうど - just right; exactly
  7. いい - good
  8. 彼 【かれ】 - he; boyfriend
  9. 優しい 【やさ・しい】 (i-adj) - gentle; kind
  10. ある (u-verb) - to exist (inanimate)
  11. 授業 【じゅ・ぎょう】 - class
  12. 終わる 【お・わる】 (u-verb) - to end
  13. これ - this
  14. 行く 【い・く】 (u-verb) - to go

ところ」() is usually used to indicate a generic physical location. However, it can also hold a much broader meaning ranging from a characteristic to a place in time.

Examples

  1. 早くきて映画ちょうどいいところだよ。
    Come quickly. We're at the good part of the movie.
  2. 優しいところあるよ。
    His personality has some gentle parts too.
  3. 授業終ったところです。
    Class has ended just now.
  4. これから行くところでした。
    I was just about to go from now.

Using 「もの」 as a casual feminine way to emphasize

Vocabulary

  1. 物 【もの】 - object
  2. どうして - why
  3. 来る 【く・る】 (exception) - to come
  4. 授業 【じゅ・ぎょう】 - class
  5. ある (u-verb) - to exist (inanimate)

The generic object noun 「もの」 can be used as a casual and feminine way of emphasizing something. This is identical to the explanatory feminine emphasis expressed by the 「の」 particle. Just like the explanatory 「の」 particle, the 「の」 is often changed into 「ん」 resulting in 「もん」. Using 「もん」 sounds very feminine and a little cheeky (in a cute way).

Examples

  • どうしてこなかったの?
    Why didn't (you) come?
  1. 授業あった
    (I) had class. [feminine explanatory]
  2. 授業あったもの
    (I) had class. [feminine explanatory]
  3. 授業あったもん
    (I) had class, so there. [feminine explanatory]

ヨーロッパに行ったことがあったらいいな。 It would

ヨーロッパに行ったことがあったらいいな。
It would be nice if I ever go to Europe

Is this last な correct here, or should it be だ? If it is な could somebody tell me why please?

Thank you!

P.S. Tae Kim is amazing.


「もの」 also has a non-feminine

「もの」 also has a non-feminine sentence ending usage where it communicates nostalgia.

ex/ 「若いころはよく山登りをしたものだ。」 "I used to go mountain climbing frequently when I was young."


Addition to the 「もの」

Addition to the 「もの」 section;

What about when mono appears after da (desu).
ie. ___(statement clause)___だもの.

You can't do this with の, right? I've heard men say this a few times.
Please address this.


In fact だもの is possible. You

In fact だもの is possible. You may see 人間だもの or something like that.
だの is another thing, which is like とか : 納豆だの、シーフードだの、山葵だの、日本食が苦手だ。


「~ですもの」or 「~だもん」is often used

「~ですもの」or 「~だもん」is often used when making an excuse and it has a bit of a snarkycute attitude attached to it. "Because I'm a girl! (So there!)" "Because I'm Japanese." The amount of attitude is amplified if the person makes a face (like blowing out their cheeks).

「~だもの」 is less feminine and loses most of the snark and all of the cute. Answering a question with this basically infers that the answer is a final one and no more questions about that subject need to be asked.


I do not believe that "もの"

I do not believe that "もの" can be attached to the declarative "だ" or "です" because a noun cannot be directly modified with "だ". What you mentioned is probably a part of the past tense of a "ぐ", "ぶ", "む", or "ぬ" verb.


In Strawberry Panic, episode

In Strawberry Panic, episode 5, at 8:06, Yaya says もの after です.


the だもの grammar pattern is

the だもの grammar pattern is used when you want to say "I used to do X" I believe. Most likely the da would be used with the んだ combo and a plain verb before it to act as an explanatory way of saying "I used to do X (but don't anymore because I don't have time, etc.)" 子供の時、スポーツをするんだものです。 If that's wrong let me know~


Hi, soz this has probably

Hi, soz this has probably been mentioned/addressed but,
this section could really do with a much more thorough look at もの various uses... no?
I know it's still causing me grief...


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