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There is a sentence on IMABI:

太ったのはなぜだと思いますか

Which translates to:

Why do you think it is you got fat?

Why is it you think? If I were to translate it, it would be I really wonder why you got fat? (really comes from だ, which as I think has emphasis purposes after なぜ)

Where have I got it wrong? Or can this sentence be translated either way?

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Nexen
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    Related: https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/56897/how-would-you-use-the-%e3%81%a8%e6%80%9d%e3%81%84%e3%81%be%e3%81%99-form-to-say-what-others-are-thinking – BJCUAI Aug 28 '19 at 05:37

1 Answers1

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Here's a very simplified explanation: because the か makes it a question.

Angelos
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  • And here I thought there is some greater magic happens : ) Is it safe to assume that whenever sentence is a question, it always points to you, if subject isn't clearly specified? – Nexen Aug 28 '19 at 13:28
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    @Nexen Context would generally make it clear, but I believe most unspecified questions would indeed be second person. – Angelos Aug 28 '19 at 13:51
  • The main confusion I had with this was だ which is assertive and it's rude to say others thought with certainity. It was also pointed in related question - https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/56908/9205 . Is なぜ (and maybe others: who/what/which) a special word and therefore it's okay to use だ? – Nexen Aug 28 '19 at 14:18
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    @Nexen Using だ right at the end of a sentence sounds assertive and rude. With と思う you have to use だ after a noun or na-adjective. (Also だね, だよ, and the like don't quite sound as aggressive as だ) Also, while you generally use 思っている for other people, because this is a question, it's perfectly to use 思う. – Angelos Aug 28 '19 at 14:24