Posted inN2 Grammar

Mastering JLPT N2 Grammar: ことに (Koto ni) – Expressing Feelings About a Fact

Posted inN2 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Expresses the speaker’s feeling or evaluation about the preceding fact or event.

🎯 Primary Function

To introduce a statement that follows a fact or event, highlighting the speaker’s subjective reaction (surprise, happiness, sadness, regret, etc.) towards that fact or event.

📋 Grammar Structure

V（た形） + ことに、～ い形容詞（かった形） + ことに、～ な形容詞（な形） + ことに、～

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal writing and speech to express personal feelings about circumstances, often in announcements or reports.

😊 Informal Situations

Less common in very casual conversation, but can be used depending on the context and relationship.

✍️ Written Language

Very common in written articles, essays, and formal documents to add a personal touch or emphasize a reaction.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in spoken Japanese, particularly when recounting events or sharing news with emotional context.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing surprise
Used when the following fact is unexpected or surprising to the speaker.
Example: 驚いたことに、彼は宝くじに当たったそうだ。 (To my surprise, I hear he won the lottery.)
Expressing happiness or relief
Used when the following fact brings happiness or relief to the speaker.
Example: 嬉しいことに、全てのプロジェクトが成功した。 (Happily, all projects were successful.)
Expressing sadness or regret
Used when the following fact causes sadness or regret.
Example: 残念なことに、旅行は中止になった。 (Regrettably, the trip was cancelled.)
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, especially in written Japanese and more expressive speech.
🎚️
Difficulty
N2
Example Sentences
驚いたことに、長い間探していた本がすぐに見つかった。
To my surprise, the book I had been looking for for a long time was found right away.
残念なことに、努力したが、目標を達成できなかった。
Regrettably, although I made an effort, I couldn’t achieve the goal.
有難いことに、多くの友人や家族に支えられた。
Thankfully, I was supported by many friends and family.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Subjective Reaction
This pattern strongly indicates the speaker’s personal feeling or evaluation towards the fact that follows. It is not just stating a fact, but adding an emotional layer.
Example: ただ「試験に合格した」と言うのではなく、「嬉しいことに、試験に合格した」と言うことで、喜びの気持ちが強調される。(Instead of just saying “I passed the exam”, saying “Happily, I passed the exam” emphasizes the feeling of joy.)
Followed by the Fact
The “ことに、” phrase sets up the sentence and is immediately followed by the specific fact or event that elicited the feeling.
Example: 驚いたことに、[事実や出来事]。 (To my surprise, [fact or event]). The part after the comma is the actual event.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using the dictionary form or ます form of verbs/adjectives before ことに.
✅ Use the plain past form (た form) for verbs and i-adjectives (かった form), and な form for na-adjectives.
The structure requires the plain past form or the な form to properly link the preceding word to ことに when expressing an emotion about a past or present fact/state.
❌ Confusing with 「～することになる」 or 「～することにする」.
✅ 「～することになる」 means something has been decided or will naturally happen. 「～することにする」 means someone decided to do something. 「～ことに」 (with an adjective/verb before it) expresses a feeling about a fact.
While related to the noun こと (thing/fact), 「～ことに」 used with adjectives/verbs is a fixed N2 pattern for expressing subjective reaction, distinct from patterns indicating decisions or results.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Can be used in both polite and less polite contexts, depending on the overall sentence structure and relationship between speakers. The pattern itself is not inherently highly formal or informal.
Social Situations: Common when sharing news, expressing personal opinions on events, or writing narratives.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese pattern, no significant regional variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

～ことに vs. ～てみると
～ことに expresses a feeling about a known fact. ～てみると means “when I tried X” or “when I looked into X”, focusing on the discovery process.
When to use: Use ～ことに when you want to express your reaction to a fact. Use ～てみると when you want to describe the result of trying something or investigating something.
～ことに vs. ～とは
～とは also expresses surprise or strong feeling about something, often emphasizing disbelief or unexpectedness. ～ことに more simply states the feeling before the fact.
When to use: Use ～ことに for a straightforward statement of your feeling (surprise, joy, regret, etc.) about a fact. Use ～とは when you want to express stronger surprise, disbelief, or shock about something.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Verb: Plain past form (e.g., 驚いた) い-Adjective: Plain past form (e.g., 嬉しかった, 面白かった) な-Adjective: Add な (e.g., 残念な, 幸せな)

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

ことに is pronounced /koto ni/. The emphasis is usually on the word preceding ことに, which carries the main emotion.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「ことに」 as meaning “Regarding this fact/matter, I feel [adjective]”. Associate 「こと」 with “fact” or “thing” and the preceding word as your feeling about it.

Vocabulary List
驚く
odoroku
to be surprised
嬉しい
ureshii
happy
悲しい
kanashii
sad
残念
zannen
regrettable
有難い
arigatai
grateful, thankful
面白い
omosiroi
interesting
困る
to be troubled, to be in difficulty
Kanji List
驚
おどろ
surprise
嬉
うれ
happy
悲
かな
sad
残
ざん
remain, regret
念
ねん
wish, idea, sense
有
あり
have, exist
難
がた
difficult, thank
面
おも
face, surface
白
しろい
white, blank
困
こま
be troubled
宝
たから
treasure
Practice Exercises
彼は何も言わずに会社を辞めた。 [ ]、皆驚いている。
困ったことに
嬉しいことに
驚いたことに
有難いことに
雨が降っていたのに、[ ]、試合は行われた。
残念なことに
面白いことに
悲しいことに
有難いことに
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