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[kittydesade]

Expressing reasons, using the plain past form of verbs and adjectives + んです and the plain form of verbs and adjectives + からです
Using the plain past form of adjectives/verbs + んです
どうして　きのう　来なかったんですか。
Why didn't you come yesterday?

アルバイトが　あったんです。
I had a part-time job.

とても　いそがしかったんです。
I was very busy.

Using the plain form of verbs/adjectives + からです

どうして　ビールを　飲まないんです。
Why don't you drink beer?

ビールは　きらいだからです。
Because I don't like beer.

どうして　シカゴに　行ったんですか。
Why did you go to Chicago?

友だちが　日本から　来たからです。　　
Because a friend arrived from Japan.

Plain present affirmative form of な-adjectives and noun+copula
Plain present affirmative --> polite present affirmative --> plain present affirmative
すき　－　好きです　－　好きだ
げんき　－　元気です　－　元気だ
学生　－　学生です　－　学生だ

Plain present affirmative --> polite past affirmative --> plain past affirmative
すき　－　好きでした　－　好きだった
げんき　－　元気でした　－　元気だった
学生　－　学生でした　－　学生だった

Plain present affirmative --> polite past affirmative --> plain past affirmative
あつい　－　厚かったです　－　厚かった
いい　－　よかったです　－　よかった

Plain present affirmative --> plain present negative --> plain past negative
げんき　－　元気じゃない　－　元気じゃなかった
さむい　－　寒くない　－　寒くなかった
いい　－　よくない　－　よくなかった
する　－　しない　－　しなかった
くる　－　来ない　－　来なかった
おきる　－　おきない　－　おきなかった
食べる　－　食べない　－　食べなかった

行く　－　行かない　－　行かなかった
飲む　－　飲まない　－　飲まなかった
ある　－　ない　－　なかった　　

山田：　高校のとき　よく　アルバイトを　しましたか。
Did you work part time often when you were in high school?

木村：　ええ、　一週間に　二十時間ぐらい　しました。　お金がなかったんです。
Yes, I worked about twenty hours a week. I didn't have money.


アリス：　きのう　どうして　ないたんですか。
Why did you cry yesterday?
モネ：　とても　うれしかったからです。
I was very happy.

The plain form + からです　explicitly states a reason, whereas んです　des it more implicitly. からです is used only when a reason is asked for explicitly.

Both からです　and んです　take the plain form of adjectives and verbs. からです　requires the plain present affirmative form of な-adjectve and noun + copula, such as　しずかだからです and　学生だからです。　In contrast, んです　requires the prenominal form of な-adjectives　and noun+な　such as しずかなんです　学生なんです.

In clause 1から, clause 2 the verb in clause 1 can be in the plain form. It makes the sentence less formal although the level of speech is still polite.　
あした　しけんが　あるから、　勉強します。
あした　しけんが　ありますから,　勉強します。
I have an exam tomorrow, so I will study.


Every once in a while I wonder why I do this to myself. Why I bother to learn three languages at once, why I put myself through this when I'll never master all the stuff I want to master anyway and it's not like insert half a dozen excuses here. Little voices in the back of my head whispering, oh give it up already. It's not like you're getting anywhere. It's not like it really matters. It's not like anyone gives a damn. Fuck you, little voices. Fuck you right in the eye.

So, yes, it's been that kind of a day. Four pages of Japanese grammar typed up did not help. But on the plus side, I've gotten a lot done already. I do have two book blurbs to write, that I'm not looking forward to, because if the voices are whispering give it up it doesn't matter on the languages, they just won't shut up on the damn book self-publishing endeavor. This is where it's useful also to have Also Mes, or headvoices, or whatever else you call them. More positive whispers that say, ah, fuck'em, you'll have done something and you'll have done something you wanted to do, that you like. And that's worth it no matter what anyone says.

... No, you know what, bad little voices? Fuck you in the eye with a power tool. If the boything calls up from whatever hospital he's CNAing at and says "Hey sweetie, I got a patient here who's talking in a language no one understands, can you identify it?" I stand a hell of a lot better chance of identifying and being able to translate if I keep working and keep moving, and thereby it makes not only me feel better, but also other people. So, hah. Bite me.

On the other hand, hey, look! I finally made an expressive caterpillar brain icon! Soon to come, Bitch, Please and conquering the world-building leviathan. I think I'm going to forgo tossing the rest of it up at you because it's 5,000+ words, and that's just the questions. Seriously, don't tackle this thing unless you really want to build all the details of a world from scratch, oh my god, I'd forgotten how insane I could get. And am going again, right now. Whoops.