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Formation: V-dictionary / V-ない / i-adj + ものだ; na-adj + な + ものだ; V-た + ものだ (past habit); V-たい + ものだ (strong wish); negative: V-dictionary + ものではない

Has several related uses. (1) It states what is true by nature or is generally expected (人は変わるものだ). From this comes social advice, 'one should' (〜ものだ), and 'one shouldn't' (〜ものではない). (2) With V-た, it recalls a past habit with nostalgia (よく〜たものだ), and only works for repeated actions, not one-off events. (3) It expresses heartfelt feeling or admiration, as in 早いものだ or 〜たいものだ. Unlike 〜ことだ, which gives specific advice to a listener in their situation, ものだ appeals to common sense or the nature of things. べきだ is a more direct personal judgment of obligation. In speech it often becomes もんだ.

Variants: もんだ、ものではない、ものだった、〜たいものだ

Examples

• 子どもの頃は、この川でよく泳いだものだ。
  When I was a child, I often used to swim in this river.
• 人の話は最後まで聞くものだ。
  You should hear people out to the end.
• 月日が経つのは本当に早いものだ。
  How quickly time really flies.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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