Breakdown of konya ha tikoku sinai tumorina node, sakuya yori hayame ni ie wo demasu.
はha
topic particle
をwo
direct object particle
家ie
house
よりyori
comparative particle
だda
to be
のでnode
reason particle
出るderu
to leave
〜ない〜nai
negative form
早め にhayame ni
early
つもりtumori
intention, plan
昨夜sakuya
last night
遅刻するtikokusuru
to be late
今夜konya
tonight
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Questions & Answers about konya ha tikoku sinai tumorina node, sakuya yori hayame ni ie wo demasu.
Why is 今夜 followed by は instead of another particle or nothing at all?
The particle は here marks 今夜 as the topic (“as for tonight”). In Japanese, it’s common to topicalize a time expression with は to set the scene. Without は, you could still say “今夜遅刻しないつもり…,” but using 今夜は makes it clearer that you’re talking specifically about “tonight.”
Why does 遅刻 take する (making 遅刻する) and why do we use しない for “not be late”?
遅刻 is a noun meaning “lateness” or “being late.” To turn many Japanese nouns into verbs, you attach する. So:
- 遅刻する = “to be late”
To negate it, use the plain negative form of する, which is しない: - 遅刻しない = “to not be late.”
What does つもり mean in 遅刻しないつもり, and how is it used?
つもり expresses the speaker’s intention or plan. You attach it to a verb’s plain form to say “intend to do X.” When attached to a negative verb, it means “intend not to do X.”
- 遅刻しないつもり = “I intend not to be late.”
Why is there a な before ので in つもりな ので?
Because つもり behaves like a na-adjective or noun when connecting to ので (“because”), you need the な (or だ) from the “noun + なので” pattern:
- つもり + なので → つもりなので = “because I intend…”
In casual writing you might see it spaced as つもりな ので.
What’s the difference between ので and から when giving reasons?
Both can mean “because,” but:
- ので is softer, more explanatory, and often used in polite or formal contexts.
- から is more direct and can sound stronger or more casual depending on usage.
Here, ので fits the tone of simply giving an explanation.
What role does より play in 昨夜より?
より marks the standard of comparison: “than.” So 昨夜より means “than last night.” It tells us you’re comparing your departure time tonight with last night’s departure.
What’s the nuance between 早めに and 早く?
- 早く = “early” or “quickly,” a straightforward adverb.
- 早めに (from 早め) carries the nuance “a bit early,” “on the early side,” or “somewhat earlier than usual.”
Using 早めに here suggests “I’ll leave home a little earlier than I did last night.”
Why does the sentence say 家を出ます instead of 出かけます?
- 家を出る literally means “to leave home,” emphasizing the act of stepping out of your house.
- 出かける means “to go out” or “to head out (for some purpose).”
Both are possible, but 家を出ます zeroes in on the departure moment from home itself.