です is one of the most important words in Japanese. It works like "am," "is," or "are" in English.
Unlike English, です always comes at the end of the sentence.
It does not change form — whether you say "I am," "she is," or "they are," the word is always です.
English: I am a student.
Japanese: わたし は がくせい です。
The particle は marks the topic — it tells the listener who or what you are talking about. Think of it as "As for ___."
Note: は is written with the character "ha" but pronounced "wa" when used as a particle.
Pattern: [Person] は [noun] です。
Use this pattern to say who someone is — their name, job, or role.
Replace [Person] with the subject and [noun] with their identity.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| わたし | watashi | I / me |
| あなた | anata | you |
| かれ | kare | he / him |
| かのじょ | kanojo | she / her |
| かれら | karera | they / them |
| わたしたち | watashi-tachi | we / us |
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| がくせい | gakusei | student |
| せんせい | sensei | teacher |
| いしゃ | isha | doctor |
| かんごし | kangoshi | nurse |
| かいしゃいん | kaishain | office worker |
| りょうりにん | ryōrinin | chef |
| けいさつかん | keisatsukan | police officer |
Click the correct English meaning for each sentence.
Pattern A: [Person] は [adjective] です。
Pattern B: [Person] は [place] しゅっしんです。
Pattern A: Use this to describe how someone feels or what they are like. Replace [adjective] with a describing word.
Pattern B: Use this to say where someone is from. しゅっしん means "from (hometown/origin)."
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| うれしい | ureshii | happy |
| ねむい | nemui | sleepy |
| げんき | genki | energetic / well |
| やさしい | yasashii | kind |
| おもしろい | omoshiroi | fun / interesting |
| とても | totemo | very |
| しゅっしん | shusshin | from (origin) |
Activity 1: Choose the missing word
Click the correct word to complete each sentence.
1. わたしは _______ です。 — I am happy.
2. かれは にほん _______ です。 — He is from Japan.
3. かのじょは _______ やさしいです。 — She is very kind.
Activity 2: Build the sentence
Click the words in the correct order to build each sentence.
1. I am a student.
2. She is from Korea.
3. They are very sleepy.
In the lesson, you will read and practice a conversation between two people meeting at a language exchange. Here are some useful phrases you will see.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Nice to meet you (first time) |
| よろしくおねがいします | yoroshiku onegai shimasu | Nice to meet you / Please be kind to me |
| こちらこそ | kochira koso | Likewise / Same here |
| はい | hai | Yes |
| いいえ | iie | No |
| おともだち | otomodachi | friend |
| ～ですか？ | ~desu ka? | Is it ~? (question) |
To turn any です sentence into a question, just add か at the end.
かのじょはせんせいです。 → She is a teacher.
かのじょはせんせいですか？ → Is she a teacher?
Read through the conversation slowly. The words in italics are です — the pattern you are learning. English translations are below each line.
YUKI: こんにちは！わたしはゆきです。わたしはがくせいです。
Hello! I am Yuki. I am a student.
ALEX: こんにちは！わたしはアレックスです。わたしはせんせいです。
Hello! I am Alex. I am a teacher.
よろしくおねがいします！
Nice to meet you!
YUKI: こちらこそ！あのひとはおともだちですか？
Likewise! Is that person your friend?
ALEX: はい！かのじょはサラです。かのじょはロンドンしゅっしんです。
Yes! She is Sarah. She is from London.
かのじょはとてもやさしいです。
She is very kind.
YUKI: いいですね！あのひとたちはクラスメートですか？
That's nice! Are those people your classmates?
ALEX: はい！かれらはわたしのクラスメートです。
Yes! They are my classmates.
かれらはとてもおもしろいです！
They are really fun!
Prestudy Checklist:
KEY EXPRESSIONS — もういちどよんでみましょう！
You now know the key patterns and vocabulary for Lesson 1. In class, you will practice these patterns with your tutor through conversations, drills, and a roleplay activity.