Breakdown of densha wa tashou okurerukoto ga arimasu.
はwa
topic particle
電車densha
train
遅れるokureru
to be late
〜こと が ある〜koto ga aru
there are times when …
多少tashou
somewhat
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Questions & Answers about densha wa tashou okurerukoto ga arimasu.
What is the function of は in this sentence?
は marks the topic. In 電車は多少遅れることがあります, it sets “trains” as the topic we’re talking about—“As for trains, …”
What does 多少 mean here and how does it modify the sentence?
多少 means “to some extent,” “somewhat,” or “a little.” It qualifies 遅れる, indicating that the trains are not extremely late but a bit delayed.
Why is 遅れる in the plain (dictionary) form before こと?
In Japanese, to turn a verb phrase into a noun phrase you use the nominalizer こと. The verb must be in its dictionary (plain) form before こと:
遅れる + こと → “the act of being late”
What role do こと and が play in 遅れることがあります?
- こと nominalizes the preceding clause (“being late”).
- が marks this nominalized clause as the subject of あります.
Together, V-dictionary form + ことがある means “it happens that V” or “sometimes V happens.”
Could you omit こと and say 電車は多少遅れるがあります?
No. Without こと, you cannot attach あります directly to the verb. 遅れるがあります is ungrammatical. こと is essential for nominalizing the verb phrase.
What tense or aspect is expressed by あります here?
あります is non-past (present/future) and, with ことがある, expresses a habitual or occasional occurrence: “It sometimes happens.”
Is this sentence polite or casual Japanese?
It’s neutral/standard style. Using あります instead of ある gives a slightly polite tone, but there’s no です or honorific language, so it fits everyday written or spoken contexts.
Can you replace 多少 with other words? How would that affect the nuance?
Yes. For example:
- 少し (sukoshi) → similarly “a little”
- ちょっと (chotto) → more colloquial “a bit”
- 時々 (tokidoki) → “sometimes,” which shifts focus from degree of lateness to frequency of the trains being late.
How would you translate 電車は多少遅れることがあります into English?
Trains are sometimes a little late.