は～で有名（は～でゆうめい） (wa~de yuumei)
AはBで有名だ — “A is famous for B”
Pattern
-
A＋は＋B＋で有名だ／ですA is famous for B (B is a noun) -
A＋は＋動詞普通形／名詞＋ことで有名だA is famous for doing ～
Structure
The で after B marks the reason or basis: “because of / by means of B.” 京都はお寺で有名です. It describes a widely known reputation, not a personal opinion.
Modifying a noun
To modify a noun, use Bで有名な＋noun: お寺で有名な京都 or 焼きたてのパンで有名な店. The reason can also be a verb phrase with こと: 親切なことで有名だ.
Positive and negative fame
有名 alone is neutral and usually positive. Be careful: 有名 can also be used for bad reputations (悪いことで有名), but then it should be clear from the context. For famous people, use 有名人.
Examples
-
京都（きょうと）はお寺（てら）で有名（ゆうめい）です。
Kyouto wa otera de yuumei desu.
Kyoto is famous for its temples.
-
この町（まち）は美（うつく）しい夜景（やけい）で有名（ゆうめい）だ。
Kono machi wa utsukushii yakei de yuumei da.
This town is famous for its beautiful night view.
-
あの店（みせ）は焼（や）きたてのパンで有名（ゆうめい）です。
Ano mise wa yakitate no pan de yuumei desu.
That shop is famous for its freshly baked bread.
Common mistakes
- Use で, not が or を: 京都はお寺で有名です (not お寺が有名です, which means something different).
- To say a person is famous as a profession or status, 有名な＋noun is more natural (有名な歌手).
More grammar points
- ばよかった ～ばよかった — I should have ～, if only I had ～
- ばかりで ～ばかりで — only ～ (and nothing else, with a negative feeling)
- ばかりでなく ～ばかりでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけでなく ～だけでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけど だけど — but, however (casual)
- ふりをする ～ふりをする — pretending to ～
- 一方（いっぽう）だ ～一方だ — keeps ～ing in one direction
- 一体（いったい） 一体 — what on earth ～ (emphasizing a question)
- じゃない ～じゃない — isn't it ～! (surprise or confirmation)
- か何（なに）か ～か何か — ～ or something
- 代（か）わりに ～代わりに — instead of ～, in return for ～
- 結局（けっきょく） 結局 — in the end, after all
- きり ～きり — only ～; ever since ～
- っけ ～っけ — was it ～? (recalling)
- ことになっている ～ことになっている — it is the rule or plan that ～
- ことは～が ～ことは～が — it is true that ～, but ～
- くせに ～くせに — even though ～ (with reproach)
- も～ば～も A も ～ば B も ～ — both A and B
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