Sample lesson
〜です
This complete sample shows how JLS teaches Starter. The exercise walkthrough is static; lessons in the course let you answer for yourself.
Is; am; are (polite copula)
Formation
| Form | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | + です | がくせい → がくせいです |
| Noun + でした (past) | + でした for past tense ('was; were') | がくせい → がくせいでした |
See it in action
にほんじんです。
I am Japanese.
The standard polite sentence-ending pattern in Japanese. Attaches to nouns and na-adjectives to form polite statements.
Usage
Links a topic (marked by は) to an identity or description. In casual speech, です can be dropped (がくせいだ or just がくせい), but beginners should always use です. For past tense, use でした (がくせいでした, 'I was a student'); the negative past is じゃなかったです or ではありませんでした.
Common mistakes
- ·Forgetting to add です at the end, which makes the sentence sound too casual for polite situations
- ·Trying to conjugate です like an English verb (there is no 'am/is/are' distinction in Japanese)
- ·Using です after verbs (です only follows nouns and na-adjectives, not verbs)
Related patterns
〜です is affirmative ('is'), while 〜じゃないです is negative ('is not').
わたしはマヤです。
I am Maya.
Maya introduces herself at Kotoba Cafe.マヤさんはアメリカ人です。
Maya is American.
Teacher Tanaka confirms Maya's basic profile.たなかせんせいはにほんごのせんせいです。
Teacher Tanaka is a Japanese-language teacher.
Introducing the teacher at the language exchange.ゆうきさんは日本人です。
Yuuki is Japanese.
Introducing the first recurring friend.How feedback works
This walkthrough is static. In the course, you answer exercises yourself.
Question
やまださんは＿＿＿です。(Mr. Yamada is a teacher.)
- せんせい
- がくせい
- かいしゃいん
Example response
がくせい
Not quite
Feedback
せんせい means 'teacher,' which matches the English translation.
Correct answer
せんせい