Question
germo
9 Jul 2014

  • English (US) Near fluent
  • Spanish (Spain)
  • Japanese
Question about Japanese

I don't understand what, if any, is the difference between ending a verb in a plain or ます form and ending in のです/んだ. For example, 見た vs. 見たんだ. Feel free to just point me towards some resource that explains it, if you prefer. Thanks!
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mfuji
9 Jul 2014

  • Japanese

(の)です or (の)だ includes a meaning of conclusion. So 見たんだ emphasizes the fact.
ex.
A: 私はその人を見ました。
B: 本当ですか？
A: 本当に見たんです。

Romaji
( no ) desu or ( no ) da includes a meaning of conclusion . So mi ta n da emphasizes the fact .
ex .
A : watasi ha sono hito wo mi masi ta .
B : hontou desu ka ？
A : hontouni mi ta n desu .
Hiragana
( の ) です or ( の ) だ includes a meaning of conclusion . So み た ん だ emphasizes the fact .
ex .
A : わたし は その ひと を み まし た 。
B : ほんとう です か ？
A : ほんとうに み た ん です 。
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