Page 239 - Basic Japanese

Are you going to eat it even though it is not

delicious?

As in the case of n(o) desu discussed in this lesson, the
plain imperfect copula appears in the form na when followed

by no ni:

まだ学生なのに高い車を乗り回しているんです。
Mada gakusei na no ni takai kuruma o nori-mawashite iru

n desu.
Although he is still a student, he drives an
expensive car.

どうして好きなのに好きだって言えないんですか。
Dōshite suki na no ni suki datte ienai n desu ka.
Why can’t you say you love her although you

love her?

The first meaning of no ni ‘in the process of, for the

purpose of, with the aim of’ is usually expressed by the
noun tame ‘sake,’ which is often followed by ni and

sometimes by wa or ni wa. The expression tame (ni) (wa) may
be preceded by a plain imperfect verb form or by a NOUN +

no:

日本語を勉強するためにはいい本が要ります。
Nihongo o benkyō suru tame ni wa ii hon ga irimasu.
We need a good book for studying Japanese.

日本語の勉強のためにいい本が要ります。
Nihongo no benkyō no tame ni ii hon ga irimasu.
We need a good book for the study of Japanese.

何のために大阪に行くんですか。