じゃない (janai)
～じゃない — isn't it ～! (surprise or confirmation)
Pattern
-
普通形（名詞・な形容詞は語幹）＋じゃない↗Plain form (stem for nouns/な-adj) + じゃない with rising tone
Meaning
The form is the same as the plain negative ～ではない, but the intonation differs. With a rising tone it works like ～じゃないか: drawing the listener's attention, showing surprise, or looking for agreement.
When to use
In casual talk with friends or family. あれ、～じゃない expresses surprise at spotting someone, and すごいじゃない expresses admiration. Avoid it in polite settings or in writing.
Examples
-
あれ、田中（たなか）さんじゃない。
Are, Tanaka-san ja nai.
Oh, isn't that Mr. Tanaka!
-
あれ、雨（あめ）が降（ふ）ってきたじゃない。
Are, ame ga futte kita ja nai.
Oh, it's started raining, hasn't it!
-
すごいじゃない、一人（ひとり）で全部（ぜんぶ）できたの。
Sugoi ja nai, hitori de zenbu dekita no.
That's amazing—you did it all by yourself!
Common mistakes
- With a falling tone it is a plain negative. すごいじゃない with a falling tone means 'it isn't amazing.'
- It can sound rude to someone above you.
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)
- 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
- むしろ むしろ — rather, if anything
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