Structure
Verb + こと(1) + に気がつく
Noun + に気がつく
(1) の
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Standard
使用域
一般
About にきがつく
に気が付く is a common expression that highlights when someone 'notices that (A)', or 'realizes that (A)'. 付く 'to be attached' is the intransitive form of 付ける 'to attach', meaning that it is something that happens by itself. The case marking particle に marks the 'location' to where your 気 (sometimes interpreted as 'attention') becomes attached.
This structure may be used before nouns, or verbs that have been nominalized with either の, or こと.
This structure may be used before nouns, or verbs that have been nominalized with either の, or こと.
- 待ち合わせ場所に着いてから、携帯を忘れたことに気が付いた。I realized that I had forgotten my phone only after I arrived at the meeting place.
- 犬に餌をあげていないのに気が付いた。I realized that I didn't feed my dog this morning.
- 猛スピードでこっちに来ている車に気が付いた。I noticed that there was a car heading this direction at a crazy speed.
Fun Fact
There are many different translations for 気 in English. These can range from 'spirit', to 'attention', to 'will', or even 'consciousness'. However, perhaps one of the most accurate ways to translate 気, is 'presence of mind'. The 'location' to which your focus, attention, or perception is drawn, will always highlight your 気.Examples
彼は、私の新しい靴に気がついてくれた。
He noticed my new shoes.
今、お金を忘れたことに気がついたばかりだ。
I just now noticed that I forgot my money.
今日は母の誕生日だ!気がついていなかった。
Today is Mom's birthday! I didn't notice.
先生が話し終わった事に気がついていなかったです。
I didn't realize that the teacher was done talking.
自分のミスのことに気がつきましたか。
Did you notice your mistake?
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(CLAUSEこと/NOUN)に気がつく
「Learn Japanese」
Master your 気
Tae Kim
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Tobira
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[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
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にきがつく – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (12 in total)
melonflavor
I was wondering the same thing. I was only familiar with 気づく prior to this lesson and there’s no mention of it on bunpro.
Edit: I’m seeing now that 気づくis accepted as an alternative answer in reviews, so I guess that answers my question. I think it would be helpful if both forms were presented in the grammar point explanation though.
drakeling
Hello, I had a question regarding this grammar point. I found that one of the example sentences listed on the grammar point 以外 has the following sentence:
そのこと以外気がついていなかった。
How come they don’t use the に particle following 以外 like they teach us with the grammar structure for に気が付く ?
Fuga
Hey @drakeling !
Just like other particles in Japanese, the に can be omitted in certain situations, especially in a casual conversation like the example sentence!
We have just reviewed this example sentence and because we do not teach に気が付く until lesson 10 and いがい is taught in lesson 5 of N4, we have changed this sentence to 彼は言われたこと以外何もしないよ。( He will not do anything other than what he is told.), which only include grammar points taught up to that point!
Thank you for pointing this sentence out and I hope I answered your question!
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