わけ①・②

About

訳わけ is a noun that means ("meaning; situation; circumstance"), and is one of the Japanese language's main "explainers".

わけ can attach to verbs/い-adjectives directly, or by using という.

わけ can attach to nouns/な-adjectives using な, という, or である.

わけ has four main usages: ① Explanation ("that's why"), ② Reasoning/understanding, ③ Rephrasing/summarizing, ④ Emphasis of facts/reality. This entry concerns usages ① and ②.

For usage ①, わけ is used to say that "X is why" something happened/is the way it is/etc.

E.g. 一番いちばん経験けいけんがあるので、マイクにお願ねがいしたわけですよ。 "(He) has the most experience, so that's why I asked Mike (to do something)."

For usage ②, わけ is used as a sign of (often mutual) understanding and/or reasoning.

E.g. それでこんなに混こんでいるというわけだ。 "So that's why it's this crowded."

Summary

• 

  わけ is one of the Japanese language's main "explainers"

• 

  わけ can attach to verbs/い-adjectives directly, or by using という

• 

  わけ can attach to nouns/な-adjectives using な, という, or である

• 

  わけ has four main usages: ① Explanation ("that's why"), ② Reasoning/understanding, ③ Rephrasing/summarizing, ④ Emphasis of facts/reality

• 

  For usage ①, わけ is used to say that "X is why" something happened/is the way it is/etc

• 

  For usage ②, わけ is used as a sign of (often mutual) understanding and/or reasoning