Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 4: 7/21

(わけ)

For that reason, No wonder, As you'd expect, Naturally, Thus, This is why

Structure

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

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About 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?

Examples

  • (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.

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わけだ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • Humin

    Humin

    About 3 years ago

    The Dokkyo University link is 404’d.
    As is the 日本語の森 link.

  • Ambo100

    Ambo100

    About 2 years ago

    There’s a six part series of videos on 訳 covering most of the uses and expressions it’s used in. The first video is for わけだ

  • Daru

    Daru

    About 1 year ago

    Resources have been fixed.
    Thank you for pointing it out!

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