Japanese learning (A2 S39): One of Functions of “-de”; Denoting a Cause/Reason; [Noun]+de, {Main Clause}.

The followings are quick review on the functions of “-de”.

(1) Way and Tool to do something

– Nihonjin wa Hashi <de> Gohan o Tabe masu.

(Japanese eat meals with chopsticks.)

(2) Place to do something

– Undoujou <de> Sakka’a o Shi masu.

(I play soccer in a sports ground.)

(3) Transportation to get on

– Maisasa, Basu to Chikatesu <de> Kaisha e Iki masu.

(Every morning, I go to the office by bus and subway.)

(4) Language to spreak

– ｢Butaniku｣ wa Eigo <de> Nan desuka.

(What is “Butaniku” in English?)

(5) Material when making something

– Gyuunyuu de Chi’izu o Tsukuri masu.

(We make cheese from milk.)

(6) Condition/Manner accompanied with Action

-Egao <de> Aisatsu o Shi masu.

(<A person> greets with smile.)

(7) Limitation

– Go-ji <de> Shigoto ga Owari masu.

(My work finishes at 5:00.)

(7)’ Limitation of Scope

– Kudamono <de> Nani ga Ichiban Suki desuka.

(Out of fruits, what is the one you like best?)

(8) Cause/Reason

– O’okina Jishin <de> Tatemono ga Koware mashita.

(Buildings were destroyed in the huge earthquake.  

Since the particle “-de” has many functions as shown above, it is difficult to learn how to use it. It seems like that its basic function is to indicate what you use for your action, looking at (1) through (5). Perhaps (6) that is “Condition/Manner accompanied with Action” may cover all the (1) through (6). But such a “Macro” understanding cannot cover everything. There are always exceptions and special cases like (7) and (8) that cannot be covered by the understanding that “-de” is “Condition/Manner accompanied with Action”.

What we are learning today is the function of (8) in which “-de” indicates a reason and/or cause of a result. The following is the sentence construction;

– [Noun]+de, {Main Clause}.

In this sentence, { [Noun]+de } shows you a reason/cause, and {Main Clause} shows you the result.

1. Kaze de Ki ga Taore mashita.

(The tree fell down by the wind.)

The cause why the tree fell down was “Kaze”. The verb “Taoreru/Taoremasu” is an intransitive verb. Note the difference from “Taosu/Taoshimasu” that is a transitive verb.

2. Tsunami de Ie ga Nagasare mashita.

(Many houses were flown by the Tsunami.)

The cause why many houses were flown was Tsunami. “Nagasareru” is the passive form of the transitive verb “Nagasu”. The intransitive verb in pair with “Nagasu” is “Nagareru/Nagaremasu”.

3. Sensou de Hito ga O’ozei Shini mashita.

(So many people died in the war.)

“Sinu/Shinimasu” is an intransitive verb. This is the only Group1-N verb. Look at the conjugation of it;

– Nai-form : Shi<na>nai

– Masu-form : Shi<ni>masu

– Dictionary form : Shi <nu>

– Conditional form : Shi<ne>ba

– Intentional form : Shi<no>u

You can see <na, ni, nu, ne, no> that means the verb “Shinu/Shinimasu” conjugates with letters of Na-column. Te-form and Ta-form are Shinde, Shinda, respectively.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section39 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”