Having problems with sentence with Ni

lol500 · 11 May 2015

Okay this is a confusing sentence I came across in my learning software.
Nan ni kyoumi ga arimasu ka?
Let's simplify it by changing this question into a statement:
Jogingu ni kyoumi ga arimasu
Arimasu is used to express the existence of inanimate objects. "Interest" is an inanimate albeit abstract object, so it fits the description.
However, Ni is used to indicate the location of existence, and "Jogging" is the form of interest, not the location.
I know Ni has 6 other uses but applying those doesn't make sense either.

WonkoTheSane · 11 May 2015

Just wondering, is it written in romaji, hiragana, or kanji mixed with kana in your software?

lol500 · 11 May 2015

Most of the sentence are written in hiragana, although in this instance, it is written in romaji.

lanthas · 11 May 2015

In English, we also say we are interested "in" jogging, even though this word is normally reserved for things like "the chair is in the meeting room".

lol500 · 11 May 2015

lanthas said:
In English, we also say we are interested "in" jogging, even though this word is normally reserved for things like "the chair is in the meeting room".

Well you see, I search in lots of places and at most, they only imply that it corresponds to "in" in the sense that it is also a location indicator.

I seriously don't know anymore. Maybe the author just got it wrong....yeah, that would clear things up.

Toritoribe · 11 May 2015

lol500 said:
I know Ni has 6 other uses

Just out of curiosity, what are the 6 other uses?

Majestic · 11 May 2015

Yeah, you are definitely over-analyzing this one.

~ ni kyomi ga arimasu (~に興味があります) is a set phrase - to have an interest in something or to be interested in something. The に indicates the thing you have an interest in.

lol500 · 11 May 2015

Toritoribe said:
Just out of curiosity, what are the 6 other uses?

Japanese Grammar: Destination Particles に (ni) and へ (e) | PuniPuniJapan

And before anyone ask, no, I did not learn from this place, I only came across it while googling for an answer.

lol500 · 11 May 2015

Majestic said:
have an interest in something

Oooh, this phase made me get it! Yes, everything's clear now.
It's like the location of my interest exists in jogging.

Toritoribe · 11 May 2015

You already got the same answer, no?

lanthas said:
In English, we also say we are interested "in" jogging, even though this word is normally reserved for things like "the chair is in the meeting room".

Yes, "ni" can indicate the location of abstract concept.
e.g.
彼は性格に問題がある。
He has a problems with the character.

この文章は文法に間違いがある。
There is a mistake in grammar in this sentence. / This sentence has a mistake in grammar.

Having problems with sentence with Ni

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