Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 9: 19/22

でもある

Be also, It also is

Structure

Noun + ある
[な]Adjective + ある

Details

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    Standard

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    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.
  • タナカさん英語(えいご)先生(せんせい)し、(やす)()(ふね)船長(せんちょう)でもあるから(やす)時間(じかん)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.
  • これ洗濯機(せんたっき)でもあるけど同時(どうじ)乾燥機(かんそうき)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(たの)しいけれども同時(どうじ)には危険(きけん)でもある
    In spite of bungee jumping being fun, it is also dangerous at times.
  • この機械(きかい)(おも)くて邪魔(じゃま)けど同時(どうじ)便利(べんり)でもある
    While this machine is heavy and a nuisance, it is also useful.

Examples

  • 語学(ごがく)(まな)ぶことは(たの)しい。しかし、自分(じぶん)との(たたか)でもある

    Learning languages is fun. However, it is also a fight with oneself.

  • この(くるま)(すこ)(せま)けれども、快適(かいてき)でもある

    This car is a bit small, but it is also comfortable.

  • オーストラリア(くに)であり、大陸(たいりく)でもある

    Australia is a country. It is also a continent.

  • 「ずっと」というのは(なに)(なが)(あいだ)(つづ)いているということである。「よりずっと(はや)い」のように、(くら)べているものとの(あいだ)(おお)きな(へだ)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(しゃ)はガソリンエンジンを()ちながら、電気(でんき)自動車(じどうしゃ)でもある

    Hybrid cars have a gasoline engine, but are also electric.

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でもある – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • Johnathan-Weir

    Johnathan-Weir

    About 2 years ago

    If that’s the case, shouldn’t the 硬 symbol be on this grammar point?

  • Daru

    Daru

    About 1 year ago

    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

    simias

    About 4 months ago

    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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