N3 · Expressions (N3)
もの: how things are, how they were, and why
ものだ, ものの, もの
ものだ states how things naturally are or used to be; ものの means "although"; a final もの gives a reason.
ものだ after the dictionary form states what is natural or expected — a general truth, or how one ought to behave. 子どもはよく転ぶものだ is "children fall over a lot; that is how they are"; 約束は守るものだ is "promises are there to be kept". The negative, ものではない, is "one should not". It sounds like received wisdom, and said to a person it can sound like a lecture.
After the た-form, ものだ looks back on something that used to happen often, with a touch of nostalgia: 子どもの頃はよく川で遊んだものだ, "as children we used to play in the river". With an adjective it can also express feeling about how things are: 時間が経つのは早いものだ, "how time flies".
ものの joins two clauses: the first is admitted as true, and the second does not follow from it as one would expect. 免許は取ったものの、運転していない is "I got a licence, but I do not drive". It is more written than けど; its finer uses are treated at N2.
At the very end of a casual sentence, もの or もん gives a reason with a note of protest, often after だって: だって眠いんだもん, "but I am sleepy!". It sounds young and a little childish, and it has no place at work. The polite way to give such a reason is ものですから or ので.
The form
| as things naturally are | 使うものだ |
| one should not | 使うものではない |
| used to (looking back) | 使ったものだ |
| although | 使ったものの |
| polite excuse | 使ったものですから |
| casual reason | 使ったんだもん |
The rules one by one
Dictionary form + ものだ: this is how things naturally are, or how one ought to behave.
約束は守るものだ。Promises are there to be kept.
ものではない: one should not do this.
人の悪口を言うものではない。You should not speak ill of others.
た-form + ものだ looks back fondly on something that used to happen often.
学生の頃は、よく朝まで話したものだ。As students we would often talk until morning.
ものの joins two clauses: the first is true, but what follows does not match it.
免許は取ったものの、運転する機会がない。I got my licence, but I never have the chance to drive.
もの or もん at the end of a casual sentence gives a reason, often with a hint of protest.
だって、眠いんだもん。But I am sleepy!
A closer look
ものですから: the polite excuse
ものですから and the shorter もので give a reason in a way that asks for understanding: the speaker presents the cause as something that simply happened, rather than as an argument. 道が分からなかったものですから is "I did not know the way, you see".
That is exactly what makes it right for apologies and wrong for complaints about others. It sounds softer than から, which can come across as self-justifying. The casual もん at the end of a sentence is the same idea with the politeness stripped out — and with it the humility.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the sentence ends in ものか or もんか
it is a strong refusal or denial: "as if I would", "never".
あんな店、二度と行くものか。I will never go to that shop again.
It is a rhetorical question — "is that the kind of thing (I would do)?" — that expects the answer no.
How to spot it
- ものだ
- ものではない
- たものだ
- ものの
- ものですから
- だもん
Example sentences
子どもはよく転ぶものだ。Children fall over a lot — that is just how they are.
初めての仕事は誰でも緊張するものです。Everyone is nervous in a first job.
若い頃は、よく一人で旅行したものだ。When I was young I often used to travel alone.
時間が経つのは本当に早いものですね。Time really does fly, does it not?
旅行に行きたいものの、なかなか休みが取れない。I would like to go travelling, but I can hardly ever get time off.
「どうして食べないの？」「だって、辛いんだもん。」"Why aren't you eating?" "Because it's spicy!"
8 more example sentences
人の話は最後まで聞くものだ。You should hear people out to the end.
夜中に大きな声を出すものではありません。You should not make loud noises in the middle of the night.
昔はこの川でよく魚を釣ったものだ。I used to fish in this river a lot.
子どもの成長は早いものだ。Children grow up so fast.
引き受けたものの、一人ではとても無理だった。I took the job on, but it was far too much for one person.
道が分からなかったものですから、遅くなってしまいました。I did not know the way, so I ended up being late.
だって、まだ子どもだもん。Well, I am still a kid!
一度でいいから、海外で暮らしてみたいものだ。I would love to live abroad, even just once.
Worth knowing (1)
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たいものだ: a heartfelt wish
After たい, ものだ turns a wish into something closer to a sigh: いつか行ってみたいものだ, "I would really love to go there some day". The same works with てほしい for what you wish others would do.
早く暖かくなってほしいものだ。I do wish it would get warm soon.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The final もん belongs to children, close friends and complaints, and to a manager it sounds like sulking. The same reason, given politely, is ものですから — or simply ので. Both are built on the same もの; only the register differs.
ものだ for how things are, たものだ for how things were, and もん only among friends.
Your turn
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