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Grammar JLPT Level N3 - Lesson 13

Structure of 訳(わけ)だ:

Verb + (という) + わけ
[い]Adjective + (という) + わけ
[な]Adjective + (1) + わけ
Noun + (1) + わけ

(1) という

Details about 訳(わけ)だ:

One of the most misunderstood words in Japanese is (わけ). Of the many ways it can be translated, the most common are 'reason', 'cause', 'meaning', or 'conclusion'. Despite this, it may be beneficial to consider it almost identical to an equally versatile English word 'so'.
In all of its uses, わけ simply highlights the plain existence/determination of something in the same way that 'so' does in English. This can be seen in its most basic form in わけだ. A combination of わけ and the auxiliary verb .
わけだ will be used at the end of sentences, and is sometimes preceded by という. This use is often translated as 'for the reason of (A)', 'no wonder its (A)', or 'its (A), as you'd expect'. Realistically though, it just means 'it is so that it's (A)', or 'so it's (A)'.
  • 事故(じこ)電車(でんしゃ)(おく)れた?だから(めずら)しく(おく)れて()というわけだ
    The train was late due to an accident? So that's why you came in unusually late.
  • (ゆび)(ほね)()ていたですね。から(ゆび)(うご)かしたら(いた)かったという(わけ)ですね。
    You are saying that my finger was broken? So that's why my finger hurt when I moved it.
  • やっぱり全然(ぜんぜん)練習(れんしゅう)してないでしょ?どうりで一年(いちねん)たっても下手(へた)わけだ
    As I expected, you didn't practice at all, did you? No wonder you haven't improved even after a year.
  • 今日(きょう)休日(きゅうじつ)か。だから定休日(ていきゅうび)わけだ
    Today is a holiday, isn't it? So that's why they are closed today.
Due to わけ being a noun, it will need to follow the attributive form of whatever word comes before it. As we can see 'so' and わけ have an extremely close pattern of nuances, ranging from 'because', all the way through to simple emphasis (like with 'naturally', and 'as you'd expect').
わけ may also be used in questions, implying that the speaker is trying to determine something that they have heard. わけだね 'so its (A) right?', and わけですか 'so is it that (A)?' are good examples of this.
  • (おれ)一緒(いっしょ)くないわけだね?()かったよ。
    So you are saying that you don't want to be with me, right? I understand.
  • 先輩(せんぱい)たちは(あと)から()というわけですか?
    Senpai, so will you be coming later?
訳(わけ)だ

Usage Notes for 訳(わけ)だ:

Synonyms for 訳(わけ)だ:

だけのことはある
No wonder, Not surprising that, As expected
はずだ
Bound to (be), Expected to (be), Should be (able)
だけに
As might be expected, Because, All the more because, It's only natural
ため(に)
For, For the sake of, In order to
ことだ
Should, Ought
はずがない
Hardly possible, Cannot be, Highly unlikely, Improbable

Example of 訳(わけ)だ

(ゆき)()っていた。(さむ)わけだ

It snowed. This is why it is cold.

(かね)無駄(むだ)使(つか)っている。貯金(ちょきん)がないわけです

You waste your money. No wonder you have no savings.

彼女(かのじょ)医者(いしゃ)になりたいから、医学(いがく)勉強(べんきょう)するわけだ

Since she wants to be a doctor, this is why she is studying in the medical field.

道理(どうり)でうまくいかなかったわけだ前提(ぜんてい)がずっと間違(まちが)っていたのだから

No wonder it didn't turn out well. The premise was wrong all along.

人一倍(ひといちばい)努力(どりょく)している。(かれ)成功(せいこう)するわけだ

He works twice as hard as others. This is why, he is successful.

Grammar same lesson

訳(わけ)ではない

It doesn't mean that, It is not the case, It's not like
See detailsreport

関係(かんけい)がある

(Not) involved with, (Not) concerned with, (No) connection with, (No) relationship with, (Not) related to
See detailsreport

余(あま)りに

So much...that, (Way) too...
See detailsreport

ところだった ①

Almost, Nearly, About to, On the verge of
See detailsreport

くらい ②

To the extent that, So…that, About the only thing that...
See detailsreport
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