Use です to build and understand simple Japanese sentences. Put です after a noun to make a polite statement: the speaker is a student.
The idea
Put です after a noun to make a polite statement: the speaker is a student. A な-adjective such as 静か also takes です as a predicate, without な before it. A demonstrative such as これ can be the topic, followed by a noun and です.
| Word | Polite predicate |
|---|---|
| 学生 | 学生です |
| 静か | 静かです |
| 本 | 本です |
Examples
- 私は学生です。I am a student.
- 田中さんは先生です。Tanaka is a teacher.
- 今日は休みです。Today is a day off.
- 日本の車です。It is a Japanese car.
- これは日本の本です。This is a book from Japan.
- この町は静かです。This town is quiet.
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Watch out
Do not attach です to a dictionary-form verb: use a polite verb such as 行きます. Plain noun sentences commonly end in だ.
Try it yourself
私は学生＿。（です／ます）
Show answer or example answer
です
Put です after a noun to make a polite statement: the speaker is a student.
この町は静か＿。（です／ます）
Show answer or example answer
です
A な-adjective such as 静か also takes です as a predicate, without な before it.
これは本＿。（です／ます）
Show answer or example answer
です
A demonstrative such as これ can be the topic, followed by a noun and です.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
私は学生＿。（です／ます）
この町は静か＿。（です／ます）
これは本＿。（です／ます）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write two Japanese sentences using です. Explain what each means, then compare the forms with the examples.