Help Understanding ~n desu ga.

Fantt

Envious of Nabeshin's Fro

29 Jun 2003

477

8

• 24 Sep 2004

• #1

In Pimsleur I'm told to say ほしいんですが, for "I want." I may have put in an extraい though. Anyways, I understand that the んです makes it more polite or less direct, right? What's the が there for? Is it just part of the んです construction? On the About.com page, and on some other places I've looked they just say to use んです. When do we use が at the end of a sentence in a situation like this?

Thanks!

Study Study

 

Glenn

一切皆苦

8 Jan 2004

7,842

200

• 24 Sep 2004

• #2

Check out these threads.
HELP! the added "-n" in sentences ? | Japan Forum
more verb stuff | Japan Forum
よ and の used differently | Japan Forum

Also, check out this page.
Emotion markers

 

Fantt

Envious of Nabeshin's Fro

29 Jun 2003

477

8

• 24 Sep 2004

• Thread starter
• #3

Ok, but why the が at the end? That's the part that I don't understand... Is it there just for extra politeness, or is there some other reason? None of these other examples have that darned が.

 

Glenn

一切皆苦

8 Jan 2004

7,842

200

• 24 Sep 2004

• #4

が means "but," so putting it at the end makes the sentence less direct, and more polite. これがほしいんです。 "I want this." これがほしいんですが。 "I want this, but..." It's similar to how we use it in English, but far more common in Japanese.

 

Fantt

Envious of Nabeshin's Fro

29 Jun 2003

477

8

• 24 Sep 2004

• Thread starter
• #5

Thank you very much! I feel better now.