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From Bright Side Japan:

> 現代の女性はなぜ独身 **でいる** ことを選ぶのか ([link
> here)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5UULXR51NfQ)

  1. Is it still grammatical to use である instead of でいる in the above sentence? If not, why not? 
  2. If it is possible, what is the change in meaning? 
  3. Can you give other examples which highlight the difference between でいる and である?
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2019-03-26T20:57:14.160
66270
2019-03-27T03:20:02.230
25875
question
grammar
What is the difference between でいる and である in this example?
1. Yes, 独身である is also grammatical.
  2. This でいる has a mild nuance of "to stay/keep ～". である is just a stilted copula (literary version of だ). Using である will change the meaning from "staying unmarried" to "being unmarried".
  3. For example, 
    * 元気でいます。  
I'm doing well (recently).

    * 元気であります。  
(Aye,) I am fine (now). (sounds like a samurai or a soldier)
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2019-03-27T02:25:41.533
66274
2019-03-27T03:20:02.230
2019-03-27T03:20:02.230
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answer