886 - に決まっている(にきまっている)

JLPT N3: に決まっている(にきまっている

You may have seen に決まっている (にきまっている) before, either out in the world, or perhaps back in our lesson on counting animals, in which we saw this conversation:

 A: 
一頭だけでも像飼おうよ!
いっとう だけ でも ぞう かおう よ!
Come on, let’s get an elephant! Even just one.
Literally: “one (large animal) + only + even + elephant + let’s keep / let’s raise / let’s own + よ!”

 B: 
ダメに決まってるでしょ!
ダメ に きまってる でしょ!
Absolutely not!
Literally: “not allowed + に + is decided + でしょ!”

 

No?

Well perhaps you've at least come across 決まっている (きまっている) (without the に) when talking about something being decided (or not being decided), as in a conversation like this:

 A: 
待ち合わせ場所どこ?
まちあわせ ばしょ どこ?
Where is everyone meeting?
Literally: “meeting up + place + は + where?”

 B: 
まだ決まってない
まだ きまってない。
We haven’t decided yet.
Literally: “still / not yet + is not decided.”

 

Anyway, when there is a before 決まっている, it means something like "...is certain," "...is definite," "...of course," etc.

An example:

電車で行ったほうが早いに決まっているよ。電車で行こう。
でんしゃ で いった ほう が はやい にきまっている よ。 でんしゃ で いこう。
It’s definitely faster to go by train. Let’s go by train.
Literally: “train + で + went + way + が + quick + に + is decided + よ. + train + で + let’s go.”

 

Another example, this one a bit more formal:

そんなひどいことをされたら、誰だって怒るに決まっています
そんな ひどい こと を されたら、 だれ だって おこる にきまっています。
Anyone would be angry if they had something that terrible done to them.
Literally: “that kind of + awful / terrible + thing + を + if/when (it) was done, + anyone (=who + だって) + get angry + に + is decided.”

 

👷 Construction 👷

Not much to say here. Just put a plain-form word in front of に決まっている.

It doesn't matter if it's a VERB, an i-adjective, a na-adjective, a NOUN — whatever. Just put it right before に決まっている.

Although we won't see this in our examples here, it is also possible to slip である in between a na-adjective or NOUN and に決まっている, too.

 

Note that the thing that is "definite" or "certain" is just something that the speaker believes to be definite or certain. In other words, に決まっている is used for statements of conviction.

時間にルーズな人は、お金にもルーズに決まっている
じかん に ルーズな ひと は、 おかね に も ルーズ にきまっている。
Someone who is careless about being punctual is certainly careless with their money, as well.
Literally: “time + に + loose / careless + person + は, + money + に + も + loose / careless + に + is decided.”

 

Last one:

爆弾を仕掛けただなんて、はったりに決まってる。騙されるな。
ばくだん を しかけた だ なんて、 はったり にきまってる。 だまされるな。
Saying that they planted a bomb is definitely just a bluff. Don’t be fooled.
Literally: “bomb + を + set / planted + だ + なんて, + bluff + に + is decided. + don’t be tricked / don’t be deceived (=[neg. command]).”

 

You're finished!

This is quite a common grammar point... which means that we can try using it in our own spoken Japanese, too.

Good luck! ^_^
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