it is necessary to
Structure
- Verb + 必要・が・ある
- Verb + こと + が + 必要 + (だ・です)
It is a bit of a shame that there are no example sentences for the second grammar point. Are there any plans to add those?
2 Likes
@Pep95 Since both Verb + 必要・が・ある and Verb + こと + が + 必要 + (だ・です) are interchangeable, we accept them both when writing your answers. However, you are right, we should definitely have some example sentences that use the Verb + こと + が + 必要 + (だ・です). Cheers!
4 Likes
Ah, didn’t even realize that 
That makes sense though.
1 Like
Excuse my ignorance, but one of the alternative grammar options for an answer has me a little lost. What is で doing in 必要である?
痩せたいなら、運動することが必要である。
If you want to lose weight, then it is necessary to exercise.
The only uses i’m aware of are…
Particle で = Marks location or an instrument used
です’s te-form = Expresses sequential action
The short answer is, である is a plain style formal/literary copula. It’s what だ originally was a contraction of.
The medium answer is that the で is the particle, and you’ll see other verbs of existence used with it in a similar fashion e.g. in でございます. Written, humble, and Anime Japanese all have their own versions.
The long answer is too long 
3 Likes
“海外旅行かいがいりょこうに行いきたいなら、パスポートを持もっていく____”
Hello, I just had the above sentence in my review and when i said, “のが必要だ,” I was told this answer wasn’t correct, but “ことがひつようだ” is accepted as a correct answer.
Can someone please explain why you cant nominalize with の here.
@kelth Hey! Are you sure that you input your answer correctly? This review sentence accepts:
のがひつよう
ひつようがある
のがひつようだ
ことがひつよう
ことがひつようだ
ことがひつようである
If this happens again in the future, would you mind posting a screenshot of your answer? Cheers!
Is there any difference (maybe subtle?) between these two statements or are they exactly the same?
- 食べる必要がある。
- 食べることが必要だ。
@rwmleach Hey! It might help if you break these two down into more direct translations.
In the first sentence, the need to eat is the main focus of what “is” (ある), while the second sentence places more emphasis on the act of eating. That being said, both of these sentences essentially mean the same thing and can be interpreted as such. Cheers!
2 Likes
That’s very helpful, thank you. If I take the translation a step further I do see the distinction even more.
- 食べる必要がある。- There is a need to eat.
- 食べることが必要だ。- Eating is necessary.
And as you suggested, if someone were to ask me the difference between those two English sentences it would be tough! Although I guess the second one feels like more general life advice, but the first one feels like it is for a more specific situation.
1 Like
I have just noticed that some of the Readings Links are broken.