～んです・のです (JLPT N5)

Structure

Verb + ん⁽¹⁾ + だ
［い］Adjective + ん⁽¹⁾ + だ
［な］Adjective + な + ん⁽¹⁾ + だ
Noun + な + ん⁽¹⁾ + だ

⁽¹⁾ の

Details

Part of Speech
Expression
Word Type
Auxiliary Verb
Register
Standard

About ～んです・のです

のです is a construction with several different forms, each meaning roughly the same thing. This expression behaves similarly to だ and です by themselves (asserting that something is true). However, the addition of の strengthens the relationship being highlighted. Due to this, it will come across a bit like 'it is a fact that (A)' in English.

In these sentences, we can think of the ん, or の as simply adding emphasis to the statement. Due to の adding emphasis, this expression will be heard very frequently in explanations.

Caution

There is no real difference between ん and の. Only の is considered 'correct Japanese', but ん evolved to make things easier to say. ん is the most common form in spoken Japanese, and the use of の could be considered a bit formal, or 'stiff'.

While both the だ and です forms are equally as natural, only the です form will be used if adding か to the end ～んですか. This construction shows that the speaker is looking for an explanation about something.

Synonyms

です
To be, Is
Not studied yet

Examples

--:--

いいんですか。

Is it good?

赤(あか)がいいんですか。

Is red good?

いいのですか。

Is it good?

これがいいのですか。

Is this good?

川(かわ)があるんです。

There is a river.

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～んです・のです – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (40 in total)

PapaYeti
Thanks!
AshleyAutumn
So I’m a bit confused about one of the review questions for this topic. It has the word "覚える” - “to remember” and I always get it wrong because I’m used to it as a verb but in this case it’s conjugating with ”です” like a noun or adjective. Is this because it’s more like a state of being for the speaker than an active action? Or is the there something special about "ん・の” connector?
Pablunpro
Hi! 初めまして！

I guess you are referring to the example sentence ‘覚えるんです’. If you look at it closely, you will see that 覚える still works as a verb and that んです (the subject of this grammar point) is attached to the verb to give emphasis to the statement ‘覚える’ (I will remember), adding the nuance ‘it is a fact that I will remember’ or ‘The thing is that I will remember’.

In fact, this is the exact same usage as the last example, ‘忘れるのです’ (‘it is a fact that I will forget’).

HTH!