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JLPT N2Expressions

~ものがある— It Really Does Have That Quality

ものがある expresses that something genuinely possesses a certain quality or gives a strong impression, based on the speaker's felt evaluation. It translates loosely as 'there is something (moving/impressive/etc.) about it' or 'it really is…'. The speaker asserts a heartfelt, often admiring or striking judgment.

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Pro lessonUNIT 56 · EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb/i-adj plain form; na-adj + な] + ものがある

Examples · 例文

  • 彼の演奏には人を感動させるものがある。

    Kare no ensou ni wa hito o kandou saseru mono ga aru.

    There is something in his playing that truly moves people.

    感動させるものがある asserts a genuine, striking quality in the performance.

  • 彼女の努力には目を見張るものがある。

    Kanojo no doryoku ni wa me o miharu mono ga aru.

    Her effort is really something to behold.

    目を見張るものがある expresses a strongly felt admiration for the effort.

  • この映画のラストシーンには深いものがある。

    Kono eiga no rasuto shiin ni wa fukai mono ga aru.

    There really is a depth to the final scene of this movie.

    深いものがある claims the scene genuinely possesses depth.

Usage notes · 注意

  • Expresses the speaker's strong, heartfelt evaluation of a quality.
  • Frequently follows verbs of impression like 感動させる, 目を見張る.
  • Register: neutral to somewhat literary; common in reviews and commentary.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ~ものがある is tested against.

vs~というものだ

というものだ passes a definitive judgment ('that is what X is'), while ものがある asserts that something noticeably HAS a certain quality.

vs~ところがある

ところがある points to an aspect/trait someone has, whereas ものがある conveys a stronger, more evaluative 'there truly is something to it' feeling.

More expressions

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