Japanese Topics, Identity, and です

A1.2 · Building identity

Japanese Topics, Identity, and です

By the end, you can identify yourself and other people with the natural Japanese pattern—not a word-for-word copy of English.

Grammar map

Person or topic Subject or topic Identity form Example Pronunciation / note Natural English
I わたし は…です わたしは学生です。 watashi wa gakusei desu I am a student.
named person / you あなた / [Name]さん は…です 田中さんは先生です。 Tanaka-san wa sensei desu Tanaka is a teacher.
that person あの人 は…です あの人は医者です。 ano hito wa isha desu That person is a doctor.
we わたしたち は…です わたしたちは学生です。 watashitachi wa gakusei desu We are students.
everyone みなさん は…です みなさんは学生です。 minasan wa gakusei desu Everyone is a student.
they / group 山田さんたち は…です 山田さんたちは友だちです。 Yamada-san-tachi wa tomodachi desu Yamada and the others are friends.

Notice the pattern

The basic identity pattern is A は B です. The particle は is pronounced wa, and です does not change for different people.

Use a name or title instead of overusing あなた, and omit a known topic when context is clear. A yes/no identity question ends with ですか.

Build identity sentences

Read each model aloud, then replace the identity word with one that is true for you or someone you know.

I

わたしは学生です。

I am a student.

named person / you

田中さんは先生です。

Tanaka is a teacher.

that person

あの人は医者です。

That person is a doctor.

we

わたしたちは学生です。

We are students.

everyone

みなさんは学生です。

Everyone is a student.

they / group

山田さんたちは友だちです。

Yamada and the others are friends.

Practice

  1. Copy the first-row identity sentence exactly.
  2. Copy the second-row model, then replace its identity word with one that is true.
  3. Change the first-row idea to the we model in row four.
  4. Translate the third-row example into natural English.
  5. Does Japanese use a separate word that changes like English am / is / are? Answer from the pattern note.
  6. Write two true identity sentences: one about you and one about another person or group.
Check your answers
  1. 1 → わたしは学生です。
  2. 2 → A model is 田中さんは先生です。
  3. 3 → わたしたちは学生です。
  4. 4 → That person is a doctor.
  5. 5 → Japanese uses です after the identity noun, and it does not change with the person.
  6. 6: Answers vary. Check the subject or topic, identity pattern, and any gender or number choices.

Create a three-person identity set

Write and say three accurate lines: one about yourself, one about another person, and one about a group. Check the person or topic form, gender and number choices, and the identity pattern.

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