〜ものだ（本来・忠告・回想・深い感動・願望） (~mono da) — it is natural / should / used to / how… / really want
One 「ものだ」, five jobs: the way of the world, advice, old habits, deep feeling, heartfelt wishes.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
「ものだ」is the hardest-working ending in Japanese — one form, five jobs; here they are in order.
Meaning
- ① Nature of things: 「人は一人では生きられないものだ」— 'that is just how people are, a rule of the world'.
- ① When a friend complains their son won't listen, it gives the comforting reply: 「子どもは親に反抗するものだよ」.
- ② Advice: 「人の悪口は言うものではない」「人との出会いは大切にするものだ」— 'by common sense one should / should not'.
- ③ Recollection: 「若いときはよくコンサートに行ったものだ」— 'we often did that, and it feels sweet to remember'.
- ④ Deep feeling: 「時間がたつのは早いものだ」「便利な世の中になったものだ」— 'wow, it really is…!' when you are moved, impressed or fed up (困ったものだ).
- ⑤ Wish: 「将来はこんな家に住みたいものだ」— a heartfelt or general wish.
How to attach
- ①②: dictionary form／Vない, い-adj, な-adj な + ものだ (negative of ②: ものではない)
- ③: Vた + ものだ
- ④: plain form (な-adj な) + ものだ; often with よく・ずいぶん.
- ⑤: Vたいものだ・Vてほしいものだ
- In conversation all of them become 「もんだ」「もんじゃない」.
Versus what you know
- N3You met 「薬は苦いものだ」(the way things are) and 「子どものころはよく泳いだものだ」(old habit) — here all five jobs sit together.
- N3「べきだ」is your own opinion ('I think you should'); ② 「ものだ」speaks as if it were the rule of the world, so it sounds 偉そう — a little bossy.
Watch out
- ① The subject is never one particular person but a general word like 人間・親・世の中, and there is no past form (ものだった).
- ② Never say 「〜するものですよ」to a superior (店長・先生・社長), and never about one specific person or thing — only as a general rule.
- ③ Not for something that happened once — habits and repeated things only.
- ④ Not for your own deliberate action.
- ⑤ Not for a concrete request like 'give me tomorrow off'; only your own wish.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
新しい仕事は、最初はだれでも緊張するものだ。
あたらしいしごとは、さいしょはだれでもきんちょうするものだ。
Everyone is nervous at first in a new job — that is only natural.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 緊張する = to get nervous → the subject is 'だれでも' (everyone, not one particular person) → we attach 「ものだ」 to the V辞書形 as it is → meaning ①: "it's natural for this to happen".
人の悪口は、簡単に言うものではないよ。
ひとのわるぐちは、かんたんにいうものではないよ。
You shouldn't go around badmouthing people.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 言う = to say → V辞書形 + 「ものではない」 → meaning ②: "by general rule, you shouldn't" → 「よ」 gives the feel of reminding a friend or someone younger (not someone above you).
日本に来てもう5年か。時間がたつのは早いものだ。
にほんにきてもうごねんか。じかんがたつのははやいものだ。
Five years in Japan already? How fast time flies!
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 早い = fast → 「ものだ」 on the い-adj as it is → meaning ④: the surprised feeling "wow, it really is fast!" → 「もう5年か」 in front sets up that feeling.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「子どものころは、よく家族で川へ＿ものだ。」— to say 'we used to go', fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Which form for a nostalgic old habit?
The recollection 「ものだ」always takes Vた: 行ったものだ = we used to go.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint: Who must you never give the advice 「ものだ」to?
The advice 「ものだ」sounds bossy — never use it to a superior like the 社長.
「10年前はこの町も静かだったものだ。」— what does 「ものだ」express here?
💡 Hint: 「10年前」and 「静かだった」— it is about the past.
Past form + ものだ = recollection: fondly remembering how quiet it used to be.
Your score: /3