~んです....

I dont understand when I should use ~んです. I understand its the mode of explaining things and for emphasis....but something about it isn't clicking for me. Can someone please give more examples of how ~んです is used? I can mostly think of using ~んです when answering questions, is that correct?

example:
どんなスポーツが好きですか。

サーフィンが好きなんです。

Would that be correct?

That doesn't really sound correct to me. The んです is used when giving explanations.

The following thread (and the linked threads in it) might be helpful.
"nan" as a statement? | Japan Forum

kyubisharingan said:

どんなスポーツが好きですか。
サーフィンが好きなんです。

Click to expand...

As you already understand, サーフィンが好きなんです emphasizes the meaning, "I really like/love surfing" or something like that, whereas サーフィンが好きです is a simple answer.

"No da" is used in affirmative sentences to signal that the proposition is some circumstantial information or the actual circumstance/state which the speaker expects the interlocutor to have no access to. As a consequence, "no da" is often used to explain reasons. "kara/noda" on the other hand explicitly conveys reason.

サーフィンが好きです。This is simply answering the question.
（実はactually）サーフィンが好きなんです。This provides the person's actual position on the issue.

You are way too worried about an elementary point of Japanese grammar. My advice is that if you dont get it just ignore it for now and move on. Eventually it will make sense to you. Your goal is to be fluent in Japanese right? Well if that is true, then allowing yourself to get stuck on something that is kind of trivial is just going to slow you down. It is really no big deal just move forward with your studies. It will come to you in time.

Chidoriashi said:

You are way too worried about an elementary point of Japanese grammar. My advice is that if you dont get it just ignore it for now and move on. Eventually it will make sense to you. Your goal is to be fluent in Japanese right? Well if that is true, then allowing yourself to get stuck on something that is kind of trivial is just going to slow you down. It is really no big deal just move forward with your studies. It will come to you in time.

Click to expand...

I guess the significance of noda in Japanese is something similar to the distinction between "the" and "a/an" in English. Both are everywhere, and one cannot avoid them when speaking Japanese and English. But at the same time, as Chidoriashi-san pointed out, if you worry too much about them, it would become impossible to say anything in Japanese and English.

I learned that it's used for (1) explaining things, (2) seeking an explination, or (3) providing extra information/an extra comment on something that has just been said.

(1)


バスが来ませんでした。
The bus didn't come.

That's just an objective statement.

バスが来なかったんです。
The bus didn't come (so that's why I'm late).

It gives an explination of why you were late to whereever you were going.

Another example could be:

映画を見ました。
I saw a movie.

Objective statement.

映画を見たんです。
I saw a movie (and that's why I'm so happy).

It shows that you're explaining why you're happy.

(2)

どうしたんですか。
What happened? (You look awful!)

You're looking for an explination.

どうして悲しいんですか。
Why are you sad? (You look sad [lol])

Looking for an explination of why this person is sad.

(3)

A: このセーターが好きですよ。
B: 私も。祖母が編んだんです。
A: I like this sweater.
B: Me too. My grandma knit it (fyi).

Hope this helps

Thanks guys! Appreciate the help. I probably shouldnt be too worried over something like this. Also, thanks for the examples Tomii515-kun. Really helped get a better sense of how んです is used.