Do you pay attention to tense when answering questions in Japanese?

When you use the same grammar in your answer as in the question, you almost always have to unify tenses.

Otherwise, it would be such an unnatural sentence…

 

[Today’s Sentences]

A：何(なに)をしているんですか。

B：日本(にほん)のドラマを見(み)るんです。

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Correct→ ◎B：日本のドラマを見ているんです。

 

[Explanations]

何をしているんですか（What are you doing?）

している＝〜ている ongoing action

 

B：日本のドラマを見るんです。（I will watch a Japanese drama.）

見る＝[dictionary-form]; future

 

→◎B：日本のドラマを見ているんです。（I am watching a Japanese drama.）

見ている＝〜ている ongoing action

 

A and B questions and answers use the same grammar「んです」, so tenses should be aligned.

A：〜んですか。

B：〜んです。

e.g.

A：これから、何をするんですか。

B：日本のドラマを見るんです。

 

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Did my explanation enhance your understanding?

This is a JLPT N4 (Elementary level) question.

N4 level is the second stage of the JLPT.

This level will allow the student to continue working on sentence building as well as new grammar points.

Students will be able to create simple sentences using various verbs and adjectives conjugations.

They will be able to survive a lot of basic situations like meeting new people, shopping, or talking about their day.

 

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