Structure
Noun + でもある
[な]Adjective + でもある
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About でもある
As an extension of the formal version of the auxiliary verb だ, である, でもある simply conveys that something 'is also (B)'. However, as も often shows something that is surprising or unexpected, でもある will primarily be used to describe additional facts about (A) that may be unexpected. Due to this, でもある usually fills the (B) role in sentences like 'while (A), it is also (B)', or 'in spite of (A), it is also (B)'.
でもある may be used after nouns, or な-Adjectives.
でもある may be used after nouns, or な-Adjectives.
- タナカさんは英語の先生だし、休みの日は船の船長でもあるから休む時間がない。While Tanaka-san is an English teacher, he is also the captain of a ship on his days off, so he doesn't have any time to rest.
- これは洗濯機でもあるけど、同時に乾燥機でもある。In spite of this being a washing machine, it is also a dryer.
- バンジージャンプは楽しいけれども、同時には危険でもある。In spite of bungee jumping being fun, it is also dangerous at times.
- この機械は重くて邪魔だけど、同時に便利でもある。While this machine is heavy and a nuisance, it is also useful.
Examples
語学を学ぶことは楽しい。しかし、自分との戦いでもある。
Learning languages is fun. However, it is also a fight with oneself.
この車は少し狭いけれども、快適でもある。
This car is a bit small, but it is also comfortable.
オーストラリアは国であり、大陸でもある。
Australia is a country. It is also a continent.
「ずっと」というのは何かが長い間続いているということである。「よりずっと速い」のように、比べているものとの間に大きな隔たりがあるということでもある。
'ずっと' means that something continues for a long time. It also means that there is a wide gap between things you are comparing, like in 'よりずっと速い'.
ハイブリッド車はガソリンエンジンを持ちながら、電気自動車でもある。
Hybrid cars have a gasoline engine, but are also electric.
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だ + も = でもある
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Tobira
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でもある – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (6 in total)
Johnathan-Weir
If that’s the case, shouldn’t the 硬 symbol be on this grammar point?
Daru
Part of literary style, not exclusively! That’s why it doesn’t have the 硬.
I’ve heard Japanese people say でもある in conversation. A teacher once told me: ‘日本人でもある私にも意味が変わらない’ When reading Murakami. It made me laugh.
simias
It’s very tangential but this point just now made me understand that だ is ultimately a contraction of である. である → であ → だ. Hence だった → でもあった. It’s obvious in hindsight but I don’t remember ever seeing it pointed out in the resources I’ve used.
Mind blown.
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