Japanese
Contributed by Artemii Kuznetsov (Academia.edu profile). The data were gathered in 2021.
How to cite
Kuznetsov, Artemii. 2022. Nominal causal constructions in Japanese. In: Say, Sergey, Natalia Logvinova, Elizaveta Zabelina, and Natalia Zaika (eds.). 2022–. NoCaCoDa: Typological database of nominal causal constructions. St. Petersburg: Institute for Linguistic Studies, RAS. (Data first published on December 1, 2022; last revised on February 1, 2023). (Available online at https://nocacoda.info. Accessed on .)
1
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Hankachi-ga | namida-de | nure-ta. |
| handkerchief- nom | tears- ins | get_wet- pst |
| The handkerchief got soaked from tears. | ||
2
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Eda-ga | omo-sa-de | ore-ta. |
| branch- nom | heavy- nmlz - ins | break- pst |
| The branch broke from the weight. | ||
3
Status: main; causal marker: GEN sei-de
| Josei-wa | kemuri-no | sei-de | seki-o | sh-ite-i-ru. |
| woman- top | smoke- gen | fault- ins | coughing- acc | do- cvb - incm - prs |
| The woman is coughing because of the smoke. | ||||
3
Status: alternate; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | kemuri-de | sekikon-de-i-ru. |
| woman- top | smoke- ins | cough- cvb - incm - prs |
| The woman is coughing because of the smoke. | ||
4
Status: main; causal marker: GEN sei-de
| Kurayami-no | sei-de | kishi-ga | mie-na-i. |
| darkness- gen | fault- ins | shore- nom | be_visible- neg - prs |
| Because of the darkness the shore isn’t visible. | |||
4
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN tame-ni
| Kurayami-no | tame-ni | kishi-ga | mie-na-i. |
| darkness- gen | cause- dat | shore- nom | be_visible- neg - prs |
| Due to the darkness the shore isn't visible. | |||
5
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Dansei-wa | machigatte | taiho-s-are-ta. |
| man- top | mistakenly | arrest- vblz - pass - pst |
| The man was arrested by mistake. | ||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as an adverb, not a noun phrase. | ||
6
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Ki-ga | kaze-de | taore-ta. |
| tree- nom | wind- ins | fall- pst |
| The tree fell because of the wind. | ||
7
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Dansei-wa | kanden.shokku-de | sokushi-sh-ita. |
| man- top | electric_shock- ins | instant_death- vblz - pst |
| The man died immediately from electric shock. | ||
8
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | sōon-de | me-ga | same-ta. |
| woman- top | noise- ins | eyes- nom | wake_up- pst |
| The woman woke up from the noise. | |||
9
Status: main; causal marker: GEN sei-de
| Dansei-wa | bīru-no | sei-de | atama-ga | ita-i. |
| man- top | beer- gen | fault- ins | head- nom | sore- prs |
| The man has a headache from the beer. | ||||
10
Status: main; causal marker: ACC
| Josei-wa | koinu-o | warat-ta. |
| woman- top | puppy- acc | laugh- pst |
| The woman laughed at the puppy. | ||
11
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Dansei-wa | dokusei-no | sakana-o | tabe-te | futsuka-go-ni | shin-da. |
| man- top | poisonousness- gen | fish- acc | eat- cvb | two_days-later- dat | die- pst |
| The man ate a poisonous fish and died two days later. | |||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | |||||
12
Status: main; causal marker: DAT
| Onna-no | ko-wa | jibun-no | seiseki-ni | manzoku-sh-ite-i-ru. |
| woman- gen | child- top | self- gen | grade- dat | satisfaction- vblz - cvb - incm - prs |
| The girl is satisfied with her grade. | ||||
13
Status: main; causal marker: DAT
| Tsuma-wa | otto-no | kotoba-ni | hara-o | tate-ta. |
| wife- top | husband- gen | words- dat | stomach- acc | raise- pst |
| The wife was angered by her husband’s words. | ||||
14
Status: main; causal marker: DAT
| Otoko-no | ko-wa | kono | an-ni | ōyorokobi-sh-ita. |
| male- gen | child- top | this | idea- dat | delight- vblz - pst |
| The boy was thrilled by this idea. | ||||
15
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Dansei-wa | kūfuku-de | yowat-ta. |
| man- top | hunger- ins | weaken- pst |
| The man was weakened by hunger. | ||
15
Status: alternate; causal marker: DAT yotte
| Dansei-wa | ue-ni | yotte | suijaku-sh-ita. |
| man- top | hunger- dat | due | weakening- vblz - pst |
| The man was weakened by hunger. | |||
16
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Dansei-wa | kiga-de | shin-da. |
| man- top | starvation- ins | die- pst |
| The man died of starvation. | ||
17
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Dansei-wa | itami-de | saken-de-i-ru. |
| man- top | pain- ins | scream- cvb - incm - prs |
| The man screamed from the pain. | ||
17
Status: alternate; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | itami-kara | saken-de-i-ru. |
| man- top | pain- abl | scream- cvb - incm - prs |
| The man screamed from the pain. | ||
18
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | samu-sa-de | furue-te-i-ru. |
| woman- top | cold- nmlz - ins | shiver- cvb - incm - prs |
| The woman is shivering from the cold. | ||
19
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Kodomo-wa | kyōfu-de | nak-i-dash-ita |
| child- top | fear- ins | cry- cvb -begin- pst |
| The child began to cry out of fear. | ||
19
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN amari
| Kodomo-wa | kyōfu-no | amari | nak-i-dash-ita |
| child- top | fear- gen | excessiveness | cry- cvb -begin- pst |
| The child began to cry out of fear. | |||
20
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Kodomo-wa | ureshiku-te | wara-i-dash-ita. |
| child- top | happy- cvb | laugh- cvb -begin- pst |
| The child, rejoiced, began to laugh. | ||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | ||
20
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN amari
| Kodomo-wa | ureshisa-no | amari | hageshi-ku | wara-i-dash-ita. |
| child- top | joy- gen | excessiveness | violent- adv | laugh- cvb -begin- pst |
| The child laughed vigorously with joy. | ||||
21
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Kodomo-wa | kyōfu-de | naya-ni | kakure-ta. |
| child- top | fear- ins | barn- dat | hide- pst |
| The child hid in the barn out of fear. | |||
21
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN amari
| Kodomo-wa | kyōfu-no | amari | monooki-ni | kakure-ta. |
| child- top | fear- gen | excessiveness | barn- dat | hide- pst |
| The child hid in the barn out of fear. | ||||
22
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | kenkyo-sa-kara | chinmoku-o | tamot-ta. |
| man- top | modest- nmlz - abl | silence- acc | keep- pst |
| The man kept silent out of modesty. | |||
22
Status: alternate; causal marker: yue
| Dansei-wa | kenkyo-sa | yue | damat-te-i-ta. |
| man- top | modest- nmlz | reason | be_silent- cvb - incm - pst |
| The man kept silent due to modesty. | |||
23
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | kyōfu-de | ani-no | ude-o | tsukan-da. |
| woman- top | fear- ins | elder_brother- gen | arm- acc | grab- pst |
| The woman grabbed her elder brother’s hand in fear. | ||||
23
Status: alternate; causal marker: ABL
| Josei-wa | kyōfu-kara | otōto-no | ude-o | tsukan-da. |
| woman- top | fear- abl | younger_brother- gen | arm- acc | grab- pst |
| The woman grabbed her yonger brother’s hand out of fear. | ||||
24
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | chō.jikan.rōdō-de | tsukare-ta. |
| woman- top | long_time_work- ins | get_tired- pst |
| The woman is tired from long work. | ||
25
Status: main; causal marker: GEN sei-de
| Josei-wa | ka-no | sei-de | ne-rare-na-i. |
| woman- top | mosquitoes- gen | fault- ins | sleep- pot - neg - prs |
| The woman can’t fall asleep because of the mosquitoes. | |||
26
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Mizu-ga | tsukiakari-de | kagayai-te | mie-ru. |
| water- nom | moonlight- ins | shine- cvb | be_visible- prs |
| The water looks bright because of the moonlight. | |||
27
Status: main; causal marker: GEN okage-de
| Inu-no | okage-de | otoko-wa | kari-ni | seikō-sh-ita. |
| dog- gen | thanks_to- ins | man- top | hunting- dat | success- vblz - pst |
| Thanks to his dog, the man had a successful hunt. | ||||
28
Status: main; causal marker: DAT
| Tsuma-wa | otto-ni | okot-ta. |
| wife- top | husband- dat | get_angry- pst |
| The wife got angry at her husband. | ||
28
Status: alternate; causal marker: DAT taishite
| Tsuma-wa | otto-ni | taishite | hara-o | tate-ta. |
| wife- top | husband- dat | toward | stomach- acc | raise- pst |
| The wife got angry at her husband. | ||||
29
Status: main; causal marker: GEN sei-de
| Josei-wa | otto-no | sei-de | shigoto-ni | okure-ta. |
| woman- top | husband- gen | fault- ins | work- dat | be_late- pst |
| The woman was late for work because of her husband. | ||||
30
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Hitobito-wa | jishin-de | shibō-sh-ita. |
| people- top | earthquake- ins | death- vblz - pst |
| The people died because of the earthquake. | ||
31
Status: main; causal marker: DAT yotte
| Subete-no | fukō-wa | ningen-ni | yotte | okor-u. |
| all- gen | misfortune- top | human- dat | due | happen- prs |
| All misfortunes happen because of humans/people. | ||||
32
Status: main; causal marker: GEN okage-de
| Shujutsu-no | okage-de | dansei-wa | yo-ku | mie-ru | yō-ni | nat-ta. |
| operation- gen | thanks_to- ins | man- top | good- adv | be_able_to_see- prs | way- dat | become- pst |
| The man can see better now thanks to the operation. | ||||||
33
Status: main; causal marker: GEN okage-de
| Josei-wa | sono | dansei-no | okage-de | iki-te-i-ru. |
| woman- top | this | man- gen | thanks_to- ins | live- cvb - incm - prs |
| The woman is alive thanks to that man. | ||||
34
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | tsuma-ni | oroka-sa-kara | sono | koto-o | it-ta. |
| man- top | wife- dat | stupidity- nmlz - abl | this | matter- acc | say- pst |
| The man told his wife about it out of stupidity. | |||||
35
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | fuchūi-de | subet-ta. |
| woman- top | carelessness- ins | slip- pst |
| The woman slipped because of carelessness. | ||
35
Status: alternate; causal marker: ABL
| Josei-wa | fuchūi-kara | subet-ta. |
| woman- top | carelessness- abl | slip- pst |
| The woman slipped because of carelessness. | ||
36
Status: main; causal marker: GEN okage-de
| Pairotto-wa | keiken-no | okage-de | chakuriku-deki-ta. |
| pilot- top | experience- gen | thanks_to- ins | landing- vblz . pot - pst |
| The pilot was able to land [the plane] thanks to his experience. | |||
36
Status: alternate; causal marker: DAT yotte
| Pairotto-wa | keiken-ni | yotte | chakuriku-ni | seikō-sh-ita. |
| pilot- top | experience- dat | due | landing- dat | success- vblz - pst |
| The pilot succeeded in landing [the plane] thanks to his experience. | ||||
37
Status: main; causal marker: GEN tame
| Pairotto-wa | keikenbusoku-no | tame | chakuriku-deki-na-katta. |
| pilot- top | lack_of_experience- gen | cause | landing- vblz . pot - neg - pst |
| The pilot couldn’t land [the plane] due to the lack of experience. | |||
37
Status: alternate; causal marker: INS
| Pairotto-wa | keikenbusoku-de | chakuriku-deki-na-katta. |
| pilot- top | lack_of_experience- ins | landing- vblz . pot - neg - pst |
| The pilot couldn’t land [the plane] due to the lack of experience. | ||
38
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Sensō-chū | hitobito-wa | kūfuku-kara | kusa-o | tabe-te-i-ta. |
| war-during | people- top | hunger- abl | grass- acc | eat- cvb - incm - pst |
| In wartime, people ate grass out of hunger. | ||||
38
Status: alternate; causal marker: INS
| Sensō-chū | hitobito-wa | ue-de | zassō-o | tabe-te-i-ta. |
| war-during | people- top | hunger- ins | weed- acc | eat- cvb - incm - pst |
| In wartime, people ate weed due to hunger. | ||||
39
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Josei-wa | kōkishin-kara | naka-ni | hait-ta. |
| woman- top | curiousity- abl | inside- dat | enter- pst |
| The woman went inside out of curiosity. | |||
39
Status: alternate; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | kōkishin-de | naka-ni | hait-ta. |
| woman- top | curiousity- ins | inside- dat | enter- pst |
| The woman went inside out of curiosity. | |||
40
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Dansei-wa | shitto-de | tsuma-o | korosh-ita. |
| man- top | jealousy- ins | wife- acc | kill- pst |
| The man killed his wife out of jealousy. | |||
40
Status: alternate; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | shitto-kara | tsuma-o | korosh-ita. |
| man- top | jealousy- abl | wife- acc | kill- pst |
| The man killed his wife out of jealousy. | |||
41
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | kyoeishin-kara | sore-o | minna-ni | hanash-ita. |
| man- top | vanity- abl | this- acc | everyone- dat | tell- pst |
| The man told everyone about it out of vanity. | ||||
42
Status: main; causal marker: INS
| Josei-wa | ikari-de | subete-no | shokki-o | wat-ta. |
| woman- top | anger- ins | all- gen | dishes- acc | break- pst |
| The woman broke all the dishes out of anger. | ||||
42
Status: alternate; causal marker: ABL
| Josei-wa | nikushimi-kara | subete-no | sara-o | wat-ta. |
| woman- top | anger- abl | all- gen | dishes- acc | break- pst |
| The woman broke all the dishes out of anger. | ||||
43
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Josei-wa | samu-katta | tame | kikon-de | ne-ta |
| woman- top | cold- pst | reason | wrap_up- cvb | sleep- pst |
| The woman was cold, so she slept wrapped up in clothes. | ||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | ||||
44
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Kyōshi-wa | seito-no | seifuku-o | home-ta. |
| teacher- top | student- gen | uniform- acc | commend- pst |
| The teacher commended the student for his uniform. | |||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the caused event is not explicitly expressed. | |||
45
Status: main; causal marker: ABL
| Dansei-wa | rinjin-o | kare-no | hatsugen-kara | korosh-ita. |
| man- top | neighbor- acc | he- gen | utterance- abl | kill- pst |
| The man killed his neighbor because of his words. | ||||
46
Status: main; causal marker: ACC megutte
| Kodomo-tachi-wa | bōru-o | megutte | kenka-sh-ita. |
| child- pl - top | ball- acc | over | fight- vblz - pst |
| The children fought over the ball. | |||
46
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN koto-de
| Kodomo-tachi-wa | bōru-no | koto-de | kenka-sh-ita. |
| child- pl - top | ball- gen | matter- ins | fight- vblz - pst |
| The children fought over the ball. | |||
47
Status: main; causal marker: ACC megutte
| Otoko-wa | sōzoku-o | megutte | ani-to | giron-sh-ita. |
| man- top | inheritance- acc | over | elder_brother- com | argument- vblz - pst |
| The man argued with his elder brother over the inheritance. | ||||
47
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN koto-de
| Otoko-wa | isan-no | koto-de | kyōdai-to | kenka-sh-ita. |
| man- top | inheritance- gen | matter- ins | brother- com | fight- vblz - pst |
| The man argued with his brother over the inheritance. | ||||
48
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Josei-wa | e-ni | hik-are-te | sono | hon-o | kat-ta. |
| woman- top | picture- dat | attract- pass - cvb | this | book- acc | buy- pst |
| The woman bought the book [because she was] attracted by the pictures. | |||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | |||||
48
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN tame-ni
| Josei-wa | shashin-no | tame-ni | sono | hon-o | kōnyū-sh-ita. |
| woman- top | photo- gen | sake- dat | this | book- acc | purchase- vblz - pst |
| The woman bought the book for the sake of the photos. | |||||
49
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Josei-wa | kigen-ga | waru-katta | node | tomodachi-to | aw-ana-katta. |
| woman- top | mood- nom | bad- pst | because | friend- com | meet- neg - pst |
| The woman didn’t meet her friend because she was in a bad mood. | |||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | |||||
50
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Mizutamari-ga | aru | kara, | ame-ga | fut-ta. |
| puddles- nom | exist | because | rain- nom | fall- pst |
| It rained because there are puddles. | ||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | ||||
51
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Awa-ga | deki-ta | kara | futtō-sh-ita. |
| bubble- nom | appear- pst | because | boiling- vblz - pst |
| The water has boiled because there are bubbles. | |||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | |||
52
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Samu-i | kara | heya-ni | hair-inasai. |
| cold- prs | because | room- dat | enter- imp |
| It is cold, so come into the room! | |||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | |||
53
Status: main; causal marker: n.a.
| Samu-i | kedo | boku-no | sēta-ga | doko? |
| cold- prs | but | i - gen | sweater- nom | where |
| It is cold, but where is my sweater? | ||||
| Note: This translation is not included in the database because the causing event is expressed as a dependent clause, not a noun phrase. | ||||
54
Status: main; causal marker: DAT yotte
| Sūgaku-teki | riron-ni | yotte | kono | sūji-wa | ichi-miman-ni-wa | nar-ana-i. |
| mathematics- rel | theory- dat | due | this | number- top | one-less- dat - top | become- neg - prs |
| Per mathematical law, this number cannot be less than one. | ||||||
54
Status: alternate; causal marker: GEN tame
| Sūgaku-teki | hōsoku-no | tame | kono | sūji-wa | ichi-miman-ni-wa | nar-ana-i. |
| mathematics- rel | law- gen | cause | this | number- top | one-less- dat - top | become- neg - prs |
| Per mathematical law, this number cannot be less than one. | ||||||