日本語　１３２　　　　　　Grammar Point I: 「ん　です」as the Explanatory Mode

今日は　何曜日　ですか？　

今週の週末　何をしますか

Kanji Review:

九千三百九十円　9,390 yen

四百三十四円　 434 yen

先生の本は　八千円です 8,000 yen

日本には大学が　四百六十あります。460

そのジャケットは　一万三千円です。13,000 yen

ふじんふくうりば　は三かいにあります。　

ほうせきは一かいです。

あのセーターは　一万九百円です。高いですね！10,900 yen

ぶんぼうぐうりばは　七かい　です。

レストランは　八かい　にあります。

Intro (contineued) p. 301 B, うりば (, departments, sales counters)

Act. #4

What is on the :

1st floor　しょくひん (Groceries)

2nd floor　アクセサリー、かばん (accessories, Kaban)

3rd floor　　ふじんふく(womens wear)

4th floor　しんしふく (menswear)

5th floor ぼんぼうぐ、(stationery)

6th floor　CD/DVD

Numbers Above 100 See Act. #5 p. 302

D. Useful Expression at the Store　

Items:　かさ　うで　どけい　シャツ　ネックレス

〜は　ありませんか　　

〜を　下さい　この　〜

〜をとって下さい　シャツ　くつ

〜はこに　いれて下さい　シャツ　ジャケット　これ

〜をみせて下さい　その　ネックレス、あの　ゆびわ、　この　かばん

E. Size, Quantity, price

Grammar I: Verb or Adj in the plain form (affirmative or negative) + ん　です　= is colloquial for the 　の　です　form.

いそがしいん です＝ I'm busy.

時間が ないん です=I've got no time

Since we add these to Verbs and Adjectives—either affirmative or negative—we are “Extending the Predicate," the basic function of which is to appeal to the assumed common understanding or knowledge shared between the speaker and the listener. Even if the common knowledge does not exist, it describes the knowledge as if it were shared hence encouraging a sense of emotional rapport.

The Explanatory "んです" - "Invites additional Information beyond the simple answer." If used in a question, it signals that the speaker wants to know more about the topic. Therefore, use of んです is an expression of the speaker's interest in the addressee, and therefore it sounds warm and friendly.

So instead of the usual questions above about your weekend, I could ask

今週の週末　何を するん　ですか　or

今週の週末　いそがしいん　ですか

So, んです is used

1) To explain something
2) To show caring and interest

3) to emphasize a point when explaining why

んです is short for のです; Informal usage;

More specifically, there are at least three related but distinct functions of this form of extended predicate:

1. To signal that what precedes the ん　です offers the reason or cause related to the issue at hand.

2. To emphasize what precedes ん です .

3. To present the request in a milder tone. Hence it can be considered friendly and colloquial.

(from Senko Maynard, An Introduction to Japanese Grammar and Communication Strategies pp. 236-237.

If we have to add ん です to a Noun or a な-Adjective, we have to put the 「な 」　back in front of the ん　です, as in

好き なん です = Because I like it;

びょうき　なんです = Because she is sick.

We can also add what our textbook offers, i.e., that ん　です can be used to register SURPRISE and also to ask for and to give EXPLANATIONS. Hence it is often used with "Why" questions, e.g.

どうして　いかないん ですか。 (How come you are not going?)

(Because) いそがしいん です。 (I am busy!)

どうして かわないん ですか。 (How come you won't buy it?)

(Because) 高いん ですよ！ (It's expensive!)

See p. 312, Activity 1 - these are all about registering surprise at some new information

We also say, by way of explanation, that X　が　あるんです＝ I have X or there is X

or ask the question 何か あるん ですか？＝　Do you have something up (to do)? See Nakama p. 312, Activity 2, 3

More examples with んです

何をしているんですか。
nani o shite iru n desu ka .
What are you doing?

テレビを見ているんです。
terebi o mite iru n desu.
I'm watching TV.

-i Adjective + んです

この映画は 面白いん です。
kono eiga wa omoshiroi n desu.
This movie was great!

And it can be used as a way to stress a point

パーティに行かないん　ですね。
pa-ti ni ikanain desu ne.
You won't be able to make it to the party, right?

いいえ、ぼくは　行くんです。
iie, boku wa iku n desu.
No, I am going!

---

いったい、どうしたんですか？
ittai, doushita n desu ka.
Just what exactly happened (to you)!!!?

Also, "~ n desu" is used quite often in conversation, though it might be difficult to use correctly for beginners. It has an explanatory or confirmatory function. The difference between "~masu" (a normal ending of the verb) and "~n desu" is very subtle, therefore it is very hard to translate the nuance.

"Why" questions are often asked with this expression, because they are asking for a reason or an explanation.

Doushite byouin ni iku n desu ka. Haha ga byouki nan desu. どうして病院(びょういん)にくんですか。 母が病気なんです。	Why are you going to the hospital? Because my mother is sick.
Doushite tabenai n desu ka. Onaka ga suite inai n desu. どうして食べないんですか。 おなかがすいてないんです。	Why don't you eat? Because I am not hungry.

from: http://japanese.about.com/od/Question-of-the-Week/fl/What-is-n-desu-which-is-sometimes-used-at-the-end-of-a-sentence.htm

Note also in Act. 2, p. 312, the use of 何＋か　＝ the Interrogative Word ＋か changes it from "What?" to Something　

何＋か (Something) が　あるん　ですか？= Do you have something to do, some commitment?

どうして Why, How come?

１、いきませんか. Why won't you go to the ....First, put the question in the ん で from by converting the いきませんか form to いかないん　ですか

Then you answer with your explanation + ん　です

としょかん 　＝　どして　としょかんへ　いかないんですか

ビストロ

ポートランド

日本

えいが

２、たべまんせんか。

にく

やさい

さしみ

ピザ

あさごはん

３、のみませんか。

こうちゃ

コーヒー

ビール

ウイスキー

ワイン

ミルク

ジュース

おちゃ

４、そうじを しませんか。

５、よみませんか。

本

ざっし

しんぶん

６、みませんか。

えいが

テレビ

DVD

More on the Plain form んです

That means when speaking, therefore in Conversation, native Japanese normally use 「～んです」 instead of 「～のです」.

This sentence pattern is used when the speaker explains to the listener the reason for his own words and deeds, while an interrogative sentence in this form is used when the speaker is asking for an explanation of what the listener has done.

Example
-------

A: あなたは ビールを 飲(の)まないんですか。
anata wa bi-ru wo nomanai n desu ka
Meaning: Don't you drink beer?

B: ええ、きらいなんです。
ee, kirai na n desu
Meaning: Yeah (because), I don't like it.

To use this sentence pattern "n desu," something should be obvious, something you have seen or heard. For the above example, it's obvious that the speaker noticed that the listener is not drinking beer and ask the question. And this sentence pattern always shows the speaker's curiosity or interest in the question.

This ん　です pattern can also be in the PAST, as well, e.g.

どうして　いかなかったん　ですか。Why didn't you go?

いそがしかったん　です。(Because) I was busy!

しゅくだいが　あったんです。(Because) I had homework!

時間が　なかったんです。(Because) I didn't any any time!

どうして　かわなかったんですか。Why didn't you buy it?

高かったんです。(Because) It was expensive!

お金が　なかったんです。(Because) I did not have any money!