〜は〜です
X is Y
AはBです means 'A is B'. は marks the topic (what you are talking about), and です politely links it to a noun or adjective that says something about it.
How to make it
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + は + Noun + です | わたし + 学生 → わたしは学生です |
| Noun + は + い-adjective + です | この本 + 大きい → この本は大きいです |
| Noun + は + な-adjective (no な) + です | この車 + きれい → この車はきれいです |
| Negative: Noun + は + Noun + じゃありません | わたし + 先生 → わたしは先生じゃありません |
Meaning and examples
-
1. Saying what something or someone is
Use it to say who a person is or what a thing is: name, job, nationality, day and so on.
-
わたしは学生です。
わたしはがくせいです。
watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
-
山下さんは日本人です。
やましたさんはにほんじんです。
yamashita san wa nihonjin desu.
Mr Yamashita is Japanese.
-
これはわたしの本です。
これはわたしのほんです。
kore wa watashi no hon desu.
This is my book.
-
今日はにちようびです。
きょうはにちようびです。
kyou wa nichiyoubi desu.
Today is Sunday.
-
-
2. Describing something
Put an adjective before です to describe the topic, such as its size, price or feel.
-
この車は新しいです。
このくるまはあたらしいです。
kono kuruma wa atarashii desu.
This car is new.
-
あの店はしずかです。
あのみせはしずかです。
ano mise wa shizuka desu.
That shop is quiet.
-
-
3. Introducing yourself
わたしは〜です is the basic way to give your name or say who you are.
-
はじめまして。わたしはケンです。
はじめまして。わたしはケンです。
hajimemashite. watashi wa ken desu.
Nice to meet you. I'm Ken.
-
Nuance
The particle は is written with the hiragana ha but pronounced wa. In conversation people often drop わたしは when it is obvious who they mean, so you will hear just 学生です. です is polite; with friends you can use だ or leave it out. When a question word like だれ or 何 is the subject, it takes が, not は.
Compared with
が marks the subject, often new or important information (だれが来ましたか). は marks the topic, something already known or being contrasted.
だ is the plain, casual version of です. Use it with friends and family, and です with people you don't know well.
Common mistakes
Wrongわたしわ学生です。
Rightわたしは学生です。
The topic particle sounds like wa but is always written with the hiragana は.
Wrongだれは先生ですか。
Rightだれが先生ですか。
Question words like だれ and 何 cannot be the topic, so they take が, not は.
Wrongこの車はきれいなです。
Rightこの車はきれいです。
Before です, a な-adjective drops its な.
Practice
JLPT style: choose the best answer for （ ）.
-
1わたし（ ）学生です。
は marks the topic, 'as for me'. を marks an object, and に and で mark places or times, so they don't fit.
-
2これ（ ）わたしのかさです。
これ is the topic of a 'this is ~' sentence, so it takes は. を, へ and や don't link a topic to です.
-
3A「山下さんは先生ですか。」B「いいえ、先生（ ）。」
After いいえ you need the negative of です, which is じゃありません. ません attaches to verbs, not nouns.
-
4今日はにちようび（ ）。
The sentence needs です to finish 'Today is Sunday'. The particles を, が and に cannot end the sentence.
FAQ
Why is は pronounced wa in わたしは?
When は is used as a particle, it keeps an old spelling but is pronounced wa. In normal words like はな (flower) it is still read ha.
Do I always need to say わたしは?
No. Japanese often leaves out the topic when it is clear from context. Saying わたしは again and again can even sound a little unnatural.
What is the difference between は and が?
は shows the topic, what the sentence is about. が shows the subject and often points to new information, as in answers to だれ or 何 questions. At N5, start with は for 'A is B' sentences and が for questions with question words.
More in Sentence basics
Spotted a mistake? Report it.