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Structure
| A structure that indicates new, important information by placing it between [x] and the copula [x] ([x] is an indefinite pronoun ([x]2) that replaces 'time','person', 'thing', 'place' or 'reason'.) | It is ~ that ~; the one who ~ is ~; the place where ~ is ~; the reason why ~ is ~; the time when ~ is ~; what ~ is ~ |
| 【Related Expression: の3】 |
(ksa). 私が中国に行ったのは三年前だ・です。
It was three years ago that I went to China./ The time when I went to China was three years ago.
(ksb). このクラスで一番頭がいいのは吉田さんだ・です。
The brightest one in this class is Mr. Yoshida.
(ksc). ここで一番奇麗なのは山だ・です。
The most beautiful things here are mountains.
| (i){V/Adjective い} informal | のは～だ | |
| {話す /話した}のは～だ | It is~ who talks/talked | |
| {食べる /食べた}のは～だ | It is~ who eats/ate | |
| {高い /高かった}のは～だ | It is~ that is/was expensive | |
| (ii){Adjective な stem/ Noun} | {なだった}のは～だ | |
| {静かな/静かだった}のは～だ | It is~ that is/was quiet | |
| {先生な/先生だった}のは～だ | It is~ who is/was a teacher |
(a). 山田さん、あなたがシカゴに行ったのはいつですか。
Mr. Yamada, when was it that you went to Chicago?
(b). 一昨日遊びに来たのは秋子さんです。
It was Akiko who came to see me the day before yesterday.
(c). モーツアルトが大好きになったのは大学一年の時です。
It was during my freshman year that I become very fond of Mozart.
(d). 父が嫌いなのはテレビだ。
It is television that my father hates.
(e). 日本で美味しいのは果物だ。
What is delicious in Japan is fruit.
1. The particle used with the noun or noun phrase between のは and だ usually drops if the particle does not have any concrete meaning (as in the cases of が and を), or if the meaning of the entire sentence is somehow predictable. Examples follow.
In (5b) and (6b) the particles から and と normally drop, because 出発した 'departed' and 一緒に 'together' generally co-occur with から and と, respectively.
3. The element between のは and だ cannot be a manner adverb. The following sentences are all unacceptable.
Unlike English, the copula だ in this construction is normally in the present tense.
5. The number of のは~だ sentences which can be produced from one sentence is limited only by the number of elements which can be placed between のは and だ. For example, four such sentences can be derived from (10).
6. Normally the の clause takes は, marking the entire clause as presupposed, old, unimportant information, and the element between のは and だ represents a new, important piece of information. But sometimes the の clause takes が, marking the clause as new, important information. In this case the element between のが and だ indicates unimportant information.
【Related Expression】
の in the present construction should not be confused with the の used as a nominalizer. Sentence [1] is the のは~だ construction and [2], the nominalized sentence.
(⇨ の3)
[1]
[2]
One way to differentiate between the two constructions is to see if the sentence can be restated by deleting のは and だ and placing the element before のは in an appropriate position. For example, [1] can be restated as [3], but [2] cannot be restated, as seen in [4].
[3]
[4]