JLPT N2 Grammar
· Upper Intermediate
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· Upper Intermediate
How...! (emphasis of emotion or degree)
Category: Emotional Expression
The grammar pattern "[V-plain/A-i/A-na (+な)] + ことか" is used to express strong emotions or emphasize the degree of a situation. It is often combined with words like 'dore dake', 'nani do', or 'ikani' to convey a sense of surprise, excitement, or realization. This pattern is used to emphasize the depth of feeling or the extent of a situation, making it a key expression for emotional expression in Japanese.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain form of a verb | [V-plain] + ことか | 見たことか (I saw it!) - emphasizes the fact that the speaker saw something |
| I-adjective | [A-i] + な + ことか | すごいなことか (That's amazing!) - emphasizes the degree of something being amazing |
| Na-adjective | [A-na] + な + ことか | 難しいなことか (That's difficult!) - emphasizes the degree of something being difficult |
一人暮らしを始めて、家族がどれほど大切か思い知ったことか。
Hitori muraashi o hajimete, kazoku ga dore hodo taisetsu ka omoi shiratta koto ka.
I realized how much my family loves me after starting to live alone.
一人暮らしを始めて (started living alone), 家族がどれほど大切か (how much my family loves me), 思い知ったことか (realized)
合格の知らせを聞いたときは、どんなに嬉しかったことか。
Goukaku no tsutaeru o kikita toki wa, donna ni ureshikatta koto ka.
I was so happy when I heard the news of my graduation.
合格の知らせを聞いたときは (when I heard the news of my graduation), どんなに嬉しかったことか (how happy I was)
この日のために何年努力してきたことか。
Kono hi no tame ni nanen doryoku shite kita koto ka.
I've been working hard for this day for so many years.
この日のために (for this day), 何年努力してきたことか (how many years I've been working hard)
This pattern is used to express strong emotions or emphasize the degree of a situation. It is often used in informal conversations and is a key expression for emotional expression in Japanese. Be careful not to confuse it with ～ものか (strong denial) or ～ことだ (giving advice or stating a fact).
～ものか and ～ことか have different meanings and usage, so be careful not to confuse them.
Na-adjectives have a specific pattern, and omitting the 'na' particle can change the meaning of the sentence.
Using the wrong verb form can change the meaning of the sentence and make it incorrect.
When using this pattern in the JLPT exam, be careful to use the correct verb form and not to confuse it with other patterns. Also, make sure to use the correct particles and grammar to form the correct sentence.
一人暮らしを始めて、家族がどれほど大切か思い知った______。
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