What we are going to learn in this post is a conjunctive particle “-node,”. Conjunctive particles are functional words which are placed at the end of a subordinate clause in order to connect a main clause behind.
– [Subordinate Clause] + [Conjunctive Particle], [Main Clause].
There are several types of conjunctive particles. Let us set aside the classification of whether the subordinate clause is hypothetical or definite condition in conjunction with the main clause. When it comes to the relationships between a subordinate clause and a main clause, there are conjunctive particles for direct sequence, contrast, and parallel connections. “-node,” is one of direct conjunctive particles that are used when what the main clause is saying is expected from what the subordinate clause is saying. More specifically, “-node” is used to explain a reason/cause of the main clause.
Youchien e Kodomo o Mukae ni Iku<node>, Yo-ji San-Juppun ni Kaisha o Demasu.
(Because I am going to the kindergarten to pick up my kid, I will leave the office at 4:30.)
In the sentence1, going to the kindergarten to pick up a kid is the reason of leaving the office at 4:30. We can expect “leaving the office at 4:30” in the main clause from “going to the kindergarten to pick up a kid” in the subordinate clause. We usually don’t say we are leaving the office at midnight to go pick up kids. Therefore, we can tell “-node,” is a conjunctive particle of direct conjunction.
The above explanation regards “-node,” as a conjunctive particle. But there is another explanation about “-node” based on what we learned recently. From my point of view, it is better to regard “-node” is a conjunctive particle. So those who don’t like a lengthy explanation, it is okay to skip the following to the example sentences’ part.
(1) We learned how to turn a conjugation word to be a noun equivalent in the section 38. That was to conjugate the word to the forms that can be placed in front of nouns, and to put “-no” behind. In case of verbs, they need to be dictionary form, Nai-form, Ta-form, or V-nakatta. And putting “no”, you will get noun-equivalent like: “Ikuno”, “Ikanaino”, “Ittano”, and “Ikanakattano”. A particle can follow to these noun equivalents. What we have seen in the section 38 is “no+wa”, “no+ga”, and “no+o”.
(2) We learned a sentence construction to describe a reason/cause using the particle “-de” in the exercise A2, section 39. The word in front of “-de” is a noun which can be a reason/cause, for example, words meaning disastrous thing like earthquake, tsunami, fire, accident, and so on.
From (1) and (2), we can think of the followings. If we put particles behind so-called “noun equivalent” like “nowa”, “noga”, and “no’o”, then how about other particles like “de” or “ni”? Yes, we are learning “node” in this exercise A3 S39 (“noni” will be introduces in A3 S43 and A2 S45.). And if we can express a reason/cause using “[Noun]+de”, can a “noun equivalent” fit in the [Noun] part of “[Noun]+de”? Yes of course, it can be like below;
– Ikuno de (Since I go), Iknaino de (Since I will not go), Ittano de(Since I went), and Ikanakattano de (Since I didn’t go)
Now, I have introduced two perspectives on “node.”
– One is “-node,” as a conjunctive particle.
[Short ending style] + node,
– The other is “no de” as a combination of the formal noun and a particle.
[Noun equivalent] + de => {[Stem of Conjugation Words]+ no} + de,
This post introduces application of “node” to verbs only. Application to I-adjectives, Na-adjectives and Nouns are shown in the next post. The verbs need to be in forms that can be connected to a noun; V-dic, V-nai, V-ta, or V-nakatta. Not that these forms are also the short ending style of verb predicates.
1. Imasugu Sochira ni Iku node, Matte ite Itadake masenka.
(Since I am coming there immediately, would you please wait for me?)
2. Kokuban ga Yoku Mienai node, Mae no Seki ni Suwattemo Ii desuka.
(Since I can’t see the blackboard well, let me have a seat in the front.)
3. Ame ga Agatta node, Soto ni Dekake mashita.
(Since the rain stopped, I went outside.)
4. Sensei ga Konakatta node, Jugyou wa Ari masendeshita.
(Since the teacher didn’t come, there was no class.)
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This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section39 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”
