N4 · Linking clauses
Explaining: のです and んです
the explanatory の at the end of a sentence
んです presents a sentence as an explanation — of something seen, asked about or about to be asked — and turns a question into "what is going on?".
At a glance
- Remember
- んです explains what is already in view; なんです after nouns and na-adjectives.
- Form
- 行くんですthe thing is, I am going (verb)
- Signal words
- 〜んです
- 〜なんです
- 〜んですか
- 〜んですが
- 〜のです
- 〜んだ
- Trap
- Wrong:明日は休みんです。Right:明日は休みなんです。
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Japanese.
| the thing is, I am going (verb) | 行くんです |
| the thing is, I went | 行ったんです |
| the thing is, it hurts (i-adjective) | 痛いんです |
| the thing is, I like it (na-adjective) | 好きなんです |
| the thing is, it is a holiday (noun) | 休みなんです |
| what is wrong? | どうしたんですか |
| written, careful | 行くのです |
| casual | 行くんだ |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
んです after the plain form explains a situation both speakers are aware of.
すみません、電車が遅れたんです。I'm sorry — the train was late, you see.
A na-adjective or a noun takes な before んです.
明日は休みなんです。Tomorrow is a holiday, you see.
んですか asks for an explanation of something you have noticed.
元気がないですね。どうしたんですか。You look down. What's the matter?
んですが gives the background to a request or a question.
駅に行きたいんですが、どのバスに乗ればいいですか。I want to go to the station — which bus should I take?
In writing the full form is のです; in casual speech, んだ or の.
問題は時間が足りないことなのです。The problem is that there is not enough time.
Example sentences
遅れてすみません。道が込んでいたんです。Sorry I'm late. The roads were busy, you see.
どこに行くんですか。Where are you off to?
ちょっと頭が痛いんです。I have a bit of a headache, actually.
この漢字の読み方が分からないんですが、教えてもらえませんか。I don't know how to read this kanji — could you tell me?
彼は来ないよ。風邪を引いたんだ。He isn't coming. He has caught a cold.
日本の歌が好きなんですか。So you like Japanese songs?
7 more example sentences
傘を持っていないんですか。貸しましょうか。You haven't got an umbrella? Shall I lend you one?
今日は早く帰りたいんです。子どもが熱を出して。I'd like to go home early today. My child has a temperature.
どうして日本語を勉強しているんですか。What made you study Japanese?
すみません、財布をなくしたんですが…。Excuse me, I've lost my wallet…
実は、納豆が苦手なんです。To tell the truth, I'm not keen on natto.
何を見ているの？What are you looking at?
大丈夫、心配いらないんだ。It's all right, there's no need to worry.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The rule "plain form plus んです" leads learners to put a noun straight before it. The plain form of 休みです is 休みだ, and before の that だ turns into な — exactly as it does before a noun: 休みなんです, 静かなんです.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Put の after the plain form and です after that, and the sentence becomes an explanation: 頭が痛いのです, "the thing is, I have a headache". In speech のです becomes んです, and in casual speech んだ or just の. A na-adjective or a noun takes な before it: 好きなんです, 学生なんです.
The explanation always refers to something both speakers can see or already have in mind. Somebody arriving late says 電車が止まったんです: the lateness is there, and this explains it. Without んです, 電車が止まりました is a piece of news with no connection to anything.
In a question, んですか asks for an explanation of what the speaker has noticed: どうしたんですか, "what happened?", to somebody who looks upset; 日本へ行くんですか, "so you are going to Japan?", on seeing a guidebook. Before a request or a question, んですが gives the background: 道に迷ったんですが…, "I'm lost, you see…".
English has no ending for this and expresses it with intonation, or with "you see", "the thing is", "so". Learners therefore either never use んです and sound curt, or use it everywhere. Used for plain facts with nothing to explain, 私は学生なんです on first meeting sounds as if the speaker were justifying themselves.
A closer look
Why んですか can sound pushy
A question with んですか assumes there is something to explain, and that the speaker is entitled to the explanation. どうしたんですか is caring when somebody is clearly unwell. どうして来なかったんですか, "why didn't you come?", can sound like an accusation, because it demands a justification.
Plain information questions therefore usually stay without it: 何時に始まりますか, "what time does it start?". Adding んですか there would suggest that the speaker has noticed something odd about the start time.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
-
the speaker is announcing their own decision or feeling with emphasis
んです can be used even when nothing was asked: 私、会社を辞めるんです, "I'm quitting my job — that's what's happening".
実は、来月結婚するんです。Actually, I'm getting married next month.
The speaker treats their own news as the explanation of everything that is about to follow, and invites the listener to take it in.
Worth knowing (1)
-
の as a casual question
Among friends and family, a rising の on its own does the work of んですか: どこ行くの？, "where are you going?". With a noun or a na-adjective it is なの: 本当なの？.
どうしたの？顔色が悪いよ。What's wrong? You look pale.
How well do you know this topic?
This is filled in automatically after you practise. You can change it here at any time.
Next on the path: 63 · The plain pastBack to the learning path