Japanese Grammar Bank

HOW TO USE わけ

わけ basically means “reason” or “cause, it is a useful word to indicate reason and justification.

The most basic form is わけだ. A combination of わけ and the auxiliary verb だ.

It is used at the end of sentences.

わけ TO DIRECTLY EXPLAIN A REASON

わけ is used in a different pattern depending if it is following a verb, noun or adjective.

PATTERN

Verb + (という) + わけだ
い adjective + (という) + わけだ
な adjective + な (or という) + わけだ
Noun + の (or という) + わけだ

NOTE || The phrase という sometimes appears before わけだ.

If you use という before わけだ, you don’t have to attach な to な adjectives and nouns.

電車が遅延しているんだって。だから彼は遅刻してきたというわけだ。Densha ga chien shite irun date. Dakara kare wa chikoku shite kita toiu wake da.The train is late, that’s why he came late.
高橋さん彼女と別れたらしいよ。だから最近元気がないわけだ。Takahashi san kanojo to wakareta rashii yo. Dakara saikin genki ga nai wake da.I’ve heard that Mr. Takahashi broke up with his girlfriend., that’s why he is down recently.
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マイケルさんは日本語を5年勉強しているから、日本語がペラペラなわけだ。Maikeru san wa nihon go wo 5 nen benkyou shite iru kara, nihon go ga perapera na wakeda.Michal has been studying Japanese for 5 years, which is why his Japanese is very fluent.
この道で事故があったから渋滞がひどかったわけだ。Kono michi de jiko ga atta kara juutai ga hidokatta wakeda.There was an accident on this road, that’s why there was a heavy traffic jam.
彼女は毎日ピアノを練習しているから、上手にピアノを弾けるわけだ。Kanojo wa mainichi piano wo renshuu shite iru kara jouzu ni piano wo hikeru wakeda.She is practicing piano every day, that’s why she is good at playing piano.
ラーメンばかり食べていたから太るわけだ。Raamen bakari tabete ita kara hutoru wakeda.No wonder I gained weight because I was eating ramen a lot.

NEGATIVE FORM

わけ can be used in negative sentences as well.

わけがない and わけにはいかない can mean “impossible” or “no reason”.

PATTERN

Verb + (という) + わけがない / わけにはいかない
い adjective + (という) + わけがない / わけにはいかない
な adjective + な (or という, である) + わけがない / わけにはいかない
Noun + の (or という, である) + わけがない / わけにはいかない

彼が野球選手になれるわけがない。Kare ga yakyuu senshu ni nareru wake ga nai.It is impossible that he becomes a baseball player.
宿題が多すぎて今日中に終わるわけがない。Shukudai ga oo sugite kyou juu ni owaru wake ga nai.There is no way I can finish all homework by the end of today because too much homework is given.
彼女はかわいいから彼氏がいないわけがない。Kanojo wa kawaii kara kareshi ga inai wake ga nai.There is no way she doesn’t have a boyfriend because she is pretty.
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車を運転するから、お酒を飲むわけにはいかない。Kuruma wo unten suru kara, osake wo nomu wake niwa ika nai.I can’t drink any alcohol because I will be driving the car.
父との約束を果たさないわけにはいかない。Chichi tono yakusoku wo hatasa nai wake niwa ika nai.I promised my father, so I have to fulfill.
風邪を引いたけど、大事なテストがあるから学校を休むわけにはいかない。Kaze wo hiita kedo, daiji na tesuto ga aru kara gakko wo yasumu wake niwa ika nai.I caught a cold, but today there is an important exam so there is no way I can take the day off from school.
友達からの誘いを断るわけにはいかない。Tomodachi kara no sasoi wo kotowaru wake niwa ikanai.I was invited by a friend, so there is no way that I can decline his invitation.

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FAQs

What does わけ mean in Japanese?

わけ translates to “reason” or “cause.”

It is used to justify or explain something, often combined with phrases like わけではない (it doesn’t mean that), わけがない (there’s no reason), or というわけだ (it means that).

How is わけ different from ので or から?

While ので and から directly express reasons or causes, わけ provides more of a logical explanation or justification, often giving a nuanced or contextual reason behind a situation.

Can わけ be used formally and casually?

Yes, わけ can be adapted for both settings.

In formal contexts, it often appears in structures like わけではありません.

In casual speech, shorter forms like わけだ are common.

What are some common mistakes with わけ?

A common mistake is using わけ in contexts where direct reasoning (e.g., から/ので) would suffice or confusing its usage with わかる, which means “to understand.”

It’s essential to practice proper context and sentence structure.

Can I study Japanese in Japan with LTL?

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Where can I learn more Japanese grammar?

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