ことだ
🃏 Flashcard
ことだ
koto da
Tap to reveal usage
should do~ (suggestions or advice)
N2
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading
koto da
Post ID
51049
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
should do~ (suggestions or advice)
📖 How to use it
Gives advice or a strong suggestion about what someone should do, often framed as a general rule or the key to achieving something.
Attaches to
Attaches to the dictionary form of a verb: verb-dictionary form + ことだ. For nouns or adjectives, use the nominalizer こと with the appropriate copula (e.g., 学生でいることだ).
It is somewhat formal and often appears in written advice, self-help contexts, or when a senior person gives guidance. In everyday conversation, it can sound a bit preachy, so use it when you want to make a strong point. When used with ない-stem (negative), it's ないことだ, meaning 'you should not do something'.
健康でいたいなら、毎日運動することだ。
Kenkou de itai nara, mainichi undou suru koto da.
If you want to stay healthy, you should exercise every day.
試験に合格したければ、過去問をたくさん解くことだ。
Shiken ni goukaku shitakereba, kakomon wo takusan toku koto da.
If you want to pass the exam, you should solve a lot of past questions.
後悔しないためには、今やるべきことをやることだ。
Koukai shinai tame ni wa, ima yaru beki koto wo yaru koto da.
To avoid regret, you should do what you need to do now.
Not べきだ
Both mean 'should', but べきだ is a general obligation ('one ought to'), while ことだ is more about a specific piece of advice or a necessary action to achieve a goal. For example, in '毎日練習することだ', it's advice for a goal; '毎日練習するべきだ' is more like a moral duty.
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Somewhat formal and often used in written advice or when giving firm, authoritative suggestions; not typical in casual chat among friends.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ことだ
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ことだ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ことだ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ことだ mean?
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Should do~ (suggestions or advice)
What JLPT level is ことだ?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ことだ in a sentence?
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Attach ことだ (koto da) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ことだ formal or casual Japanese?
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ことだ is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember ことだ long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.