Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘That means…’, ‘It’s no wonder…’, ‘For that reason…’
🎯 Primary Function
To express a logical conclusion or a natural consequence derived from specific facts or circumstances.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain Form) + わけだ
i-Adjective (Plain Form) + わけだ
na-Adjective + な + わけだ
Verb/Adjective (Negative Plain Form) + わけだ
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used as ‘わけです’ (wake desu) in professional or polite conversations.
Informal Situations
Commonly used as ‘わけだ’ or ‘わけね’ among friends to show understanding.
Written Language
Used in essays and articles to summarize a logical argument or result.
Spoken Language
Extremely frequent when reacting to new information that explains a mystery.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Realization
Used when you finally understand the cause behind a current situation.
Example: あ、故障していたのか。動かないわけだ。 (Ah, it was broken? No wonder it wouldn’t move.)
Logical Conclusion
Used to state a result that naturally follows from a mathematical or logical premise.
Example: 2,000円の半額だから1,000円なわけだ。 (It’s half of 2,000 yen, so it means it’s 1,000 yen.)
Frequency
Very High
Difficulty
Intermediate (JLPT N3)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
暑いわけだ。気温が35度もある。
Furigana: あついわけだ。きおんがさんじゅうごどもある。
Romaji: Atsui wake da. Kion ga sanjuugo-do mo aru.
English: It’s no wonder it’s so hot. The temperature is 35 degrees.
Example #2
彼は日本に10年も住んでいる。日本語が上手なわけだ。
Furigana: かれはにほんにじゅうねんもすんでいる。にほんごがじょうずなわけだ。
Romaji: Kare wa Nihon ni juunen mo sunde iru. Nihongo ga jouzu na wake da.
English: He has lived in Japan for ten years. That’s why his Japanese is so good.
Example #3
窓が開いていた。部屋が寒いわけだ。
Furigana: まどがあいていた。へやがさむいわけだ。
Romaji: Mado ga aite ita. Heya ga samui wake da.
English: The window was open. No wonder it’s cold in the room.
Example #4
彼女は昨日3時間しか寝ていない。眠いわけだ。
Furigana: かのじょはきのうさんじかんしかねていない。ねむいわけだ。
Romaji: Kanojo wa kinou sanjikan shika nete inai. Nemui wake da.
English: She only slept three hours last night. No wonder she looks sleepy.
Example #5
5パーセント引きということは、1000円なら950円になるわけですね。
Furigana: ごパーセントびきということは、せんえんならきゅうひゃくごじゅうえんになるわけですね。
Romaji: Go paasento biki to iu koto wa, sen-en nara kyuuhyakugojuuen ni naru wake desu ne.
English: If there is a 5% discount, it means a 1,000 yen item becomes 950 yen.
Example #6
薬を飲まなかった。治らないわけだ。
Furigana: くすりをのまなかった。なおらないわけだ。
Romaji: Kusuri o nomanakatta. Naoranai wake da.
English: Since I didn’t take any medicine, it’s no wonder I’m not getting better.
Example #7
あの店はとても有名だ。行列ができるわけだ。
Furigana: あのみせはとてもゆうめいだ。ぎょうれつができるわけだ。
Romaji: Ano mise wa totemo yuumei da. Gyouretsu ga dekiru wake da.
English: That restaurant is very famous. No wonder there’s a long line.
Example #8
彼はプロの選手だ。強いわけだ。
Furigana: かれはプロのせんしゅだ。つよいわけだ。
Romaji: Kare wa puro no senshu da. Tsuyoi wake da.
English: He is a professional player. No wonder he is so strong.
Example #9
いい材料を使えば、美味しいわけだ。
Furigana: いいざいりょうをつかえば、おいしいわけだ。
Romaji: Ii zairyou o tsukaeba, oishii wake da.
English: If you use high-quality ingredients, it’s natural that it tastes delicious.
Example #10
朝から働いている。疲れるわけだ。
Furigana: あさからはたらいている。つかれるわけだ。
Romaji: Asa kara hataraite iru. Tsukareru wake da.
English: I’ve been working since early morning. No wonder I’m so tired.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Cause and Effect Connection
The focus is on the ‘naturalness’ of the result given the cause.
Example: 彼は毎日練習している。上手なわけだ。 (He practices every day. It’s only natural he’s good.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using ‘wake da’ for a future prediction without evidence.
✅ はずだ (hazu da)
‘Wake da’ is used for conclusions based on observed facts, while ‘hazu da’ is for expectations of what should happen.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Polite (depending on the ending).
Social Situations: Essential for showing that you are following someone’s logic in a conversation.
Regional Variations: In Kansai dialect, ‘わけや’ (wake ya) might be used.
🔍 Subtle Differences
わけだ vs はずだ
‘Wake da’ explains a known fact; ‘hazu da’ predicts something based on logic.
When to use: Use ‘wake da’ when the result is already visible or known.
📝 Conjugation Notes
For Nouns, use ‘というわけだ’ or ‘であるわけだ’ instead of just attaching ‘wake da’.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The ‘da’ is often dropped or replaced with ‘desu’ or ‘ne’ in casual speech.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘Wake’ as ‘Reason’. ‘Wake da’ literally translates to ‘It is the reason,’ implying ‘This is the logical reason for the situation.’
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.