Elite Japanese Language Academy: N5 Study Guide

Lesson 1: The Absolute Foundation — $A$ は $B$ です

Welcome to your first major milestone in Japanese! Today, we are mastering the absolute core of Japanese grammar: the $A$ は $B$ です ($A$ is $B$) sentence pattern. This single structure allows you to introduce yourself, identify objects, and describe the world around you.

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1. The Core Blueprint

In English, we say "I am a student" or "This is a pen." In Japanese, the word order changes. The formula is:

$$\Large \mathbf{A} \quad \mathbf{\text{は}} \quad \mathbf{B} \quad \mathbf{\text{です。}}$$
$$\text{[Topic]} \quad \text{[Topic Marker]} \quad \text{[Noun/Adjective]} \quad \text{[Polite Copula (is/am/are)]}$$

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2. Deconstructing the Components

🎈 The Particle は (Pronounced Wa)

• What it is: A "particle" (助詞 - joshi) is a postpositional marker that tells you the grammatical role of the word before it.助詞
• The Rule: は acts as a spotlight. It points to $A$ and says, "As for this topic, here is what I want to tell you about it."
• Pronunciation Trap: Although written with the Hiragana character は (ha), when used as a topic marker particle, it is always pronounced "wa".

🌸 The Copula です (Pronounced Desu)

• What it is: Often translated as "to be" (am/is/are). It asserts a state of being.
• Politeness: It places your sentence in the polite register (Teineigo), which is perfect for talking to teachers, strangers, and colleagues.
• Pronunciation Tip: In standard Japanese, the final "u" is whispered or dropped completely. Pronounce it as "des" (rhymes with "mess").

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3. Step-by-Step Examples

Let’s look at three practical examples. Pay close attention to the word order.

Example 1: Self-Introduction

• Japanese: 私は学生です。私学生
• Hiragana: わたし は がくせい です。
• Romaji: Watashi wa gakusei desu.
• Literal: As for me ($A$), student ($B$) is.
• English: I am a student.

Example 2: Identifying Objects

• Japanese: これは本です。本
• Hiragana: これ は ほん です。
• Romaji: Kore wa hon desu.
• Literal: As for this ($A$), book ($B$) is.
• English: This is a book.

Example 3: Talking About Others

• Japanese: さくらさんは先生です。先生
• Hiragana: さくらさん は せんせい です。
• Romaji: Sakura-san wa sensei desu.
• English: Sakura is a teacher.
  (Note: "-san" is a polite title added to names).

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4. Writing & Stroke Order

To write like a native, you must follow the correct stroke order. It ensures your characters look balanced and natural.

• は (ha/wa) — 3 Strokes:
  1. Stroke 1: A vertical left-hand line with a slight upward hook at the bottom.
  2. Stroke 2: A horizontal top-cross stroke.
  3. Stroke 3: A vertical stroke cutting through Stroke 2, looping at the bottom, and sweeping out to the right.
• です (desu):
  • で (de) — 3 Strokes: Write て (1 stroke) and add the two small dakuten (voicing marks) at the top right.
  • す (su) — 2 Strokes: A horizontal line (Stroke 1), followed by a vertical line that loops in the middle and sweeps down-left (Stroke 2).

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5. Level Up: Negative & Question Forms

Now that you know the positive form, you can easily adapt it:

1. The Question (Is $A$ $B$?): Simply add the question particle か (ka) to the very end.
   • これは本ですか。 (Kore wa hon desu ka? — Is this a book?)本
   本
2. The Negative ($A$ is not $B$): Replace です with ではありません (de wa arimasen - formal) or じゃないです (ja nai desu - colloquial).
   • 私は学生じゃないです。 (Watashi wa gakusei ja nai desu. — I am not a student.)私学生
   私学生

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📝 Quick Practice Challenge

Translate these sentences into Japanese (Answers at the bottom!):

1. "This is water (お水 - omizu)."水
2. "Is Tanaka-san (田中さん) a teacher (先生)?"田中先生

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Answers: 1. これはお水です。 (Kore wa omizu desu.) | 2. 田中さんは先生ですか。 (Tanaka-san wa sensei desu ka?)水田中先生