Lesson 2: Basic Japanese Sentences (です・ます / は・が・も)

です・ます Form: Your First Step into Polite Japanese

Now that you've learned basic greetings and vocabulary, it's time to start forming your own sentences! Let's begin with the polite forms that will help you communicate respectfully in Japanese.

What are です and ます?

In Japanese, there are different levels of politeness. Two of the most common polite endings you'll use are です and ます:

です (desu)

です is used with nouns and adjectives to make your sentences polite. It's essential for formal situations and proper Japanese etiquette. Think of it as adding politeness to statements about things or descriptions.

ます (masu)

ます attaches to verbs, changing their ending to create a polite form. It's perfect for formal conversations and shows respect to your listener. When you use ます, you're elevating your speech to a more courteous level.

When to Use Polite Forms

Polite forms are your go-to choice when meeting someone for the first time, speaking with teachers or seniors, in business situations, or whenever you want to show respect. It's always better to start formal and become casual later if appropriate.

Putting it Together

です goes at the end of sentences with nouns/adjectives, while ます attaches to verbs. Using these endings shows respect and creates a polite atmosphere in your conversations.

Note about Pronouns

Remember from Lesson 1 that Japanese speakers often omit pronouns like "I" or "you" if the context is clear. Instead of using "you," it's typical to use the listener's name followed by さん.

Basic Sentence Structure: AはBです

Building on what you learned in Lesson 1, let's explore the most fundamental sentence pattern in Japanese: A は B です. This pattern is your key to expressing almost anything in simple, clear Japanese.

How It Works

1. A is your topic (what you're talking about)
2. は (wa) marks that topic
3. B is what you want to say about topic A
4. です makes it polite

Think of は as saying "As for..." or "Regarding..." in English:

Why This Pattern Matters

This structure forms the backbone of Japanese communication. By mastering AはBです, you'll be able to:

• Introduce yourself
• Describe people and things
• State facts
• Express simple opinions

Nearly every conversation in Japanese will use this pattern in some form. The more you practice it, the more natural your Japanese will sound!

Remember: は is pronounced "wa" when used as a particle. It takes a bit of getting used to, but you'll see it everywhere!

Question Marker: か

Asking questions in Japanese is surprisingly simple! To turn a statement into a question, just add か at the end.

How to Use か

1. Take any statement:
   学生がくせいです。
   (You are a student.)
2. Add か at the end:
   学生がくせいですか？
   (Are you a student?)
3. That's it! No need to change word order or add other words.

You'll still see question marks in modern text, often written as か？ for clarity, but the essential point is that か marks the sentence as a question. No extra changes in word order are needed!

Particles は・が・も: Quick Introduction

Particles are small but powerful words that show the relationships between words in Japanese sentences. They're like "traffic signs" that guide you through the meaning. Let's explore three important particles:

は (wa): The Topic Marker

The topic marker は introduces what you're talking about. For example,
私わたしは学生がくせいです
means "As for me, I am a student." It sets up the topic of your sentence.

が (ga): The Subject Marker

The が particle emphasizes or specifies the subject. When you say
私わたしが学生がくせいです,
you're saying "I, specifically, am a student." It points directly to who or what is doing the action.

も (mo): Also/Too

The も particle means "also" or "too." Using
私わたしも学生がくせいです
tells your listener "I am also a student," indicating you share this trait with someone else.

Let's see these particles in action:

When to Use Each Particle

• Use は to introduce a new topic or contrast with a previous topic
• Use が to emphasize the subject or answer a "who" question
• Use も to add something to what's already been mentioned

We'll learn more about particles in future lessons, but these are your essential building blocks for now!

Putting It All Together: Basic Conversations

Now that you've learned the basics of Japanese sentence structure, polite forms, and important particles, it's time to see how these elements work together in real conversations.

Self-Introduction Conversation

The following dialogue demonstrates a simple first meeting between two people. Notice how they use the grammar points covered in this lesson:

A: こんにちは。初はじめまして。私わたしは鈴木すずきです。
(Konnichiwa. Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Suzuki desu.)
"Hello. Nice to meet you. I am Suzuki."

B: 初はじめまして。私わたしは田中たなかです。
鈴木すずきさんは学生がくせいですか？
(Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Tanaka desu. Suzuki-san wa gakusei desu ka?)
"Nice to meet you. I am Tanaka. Are you a student, Suzuki-san?"

A: はい、大学生だいがくせいです。田中たなかさんも学生がくせいですか？
(Hai, daigakusei desu. Tanaka-san mo gakusei desu ka?)
"Yes, I'm a university student. Are you also a student, Tanaka-san?"

B: いいえ、会社員かいしゃいんです。
(Iie, kaishain desu.)
"No, I'm a company employee."

Practice Sentences

Try these sentences that combine all the grammar elements from this lesson:

Practice creating your own sentences using the patterns above. Remember that Japanese sentences typically follow this order:

1. Topic/Subject (with は, が, or も)
2. Description or statement
3. Polite ending (です or ます)

The more you practice these basic patterns, the more naturally you'll be able to express yourself in Japanese!