JLPT N5 grammar
です (desu) — Meaning & Examples
The polite copula — "to be" in Japanese. Links subject to description: わたしはがくせいです (I am a student). Does not change for person. Add か to make a question.
The Copula です (desu)
です (desu) is the polite form of "to be" in Japanese. It links a subject to its description or identity.
Structure: [Subject] は [Noun/Adjective] です
わたしは がくせいです。
— I am a student.
これは ほんです。
— This is a book.
あれは たかいです。
— That is expensive.
です doesn't change for person:
わたしは にほんじんです。(I am Japanese)
あなたは にほんじんですか？(Are you Japanese?)
かれは せんせいです。(He is a teacher)
The same です works for all subjects — no conjugation for I/you/he/she/we/they.
The question marker か:
Add か to the end of any です sentence to make it a question:
これは なんですか？ — What is this?
あなたは がくせいですか？ — Are you a student?
The intonation rises slightly on か, just like a question mark sounds.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on です (desu). Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. How do you say "I am a student" in Japanese?
- わたしが がくせいです (watashi ga gakusei desu)
- わたしを がくせいです (watashi o gakusei desu)
- わたしは がくせいです (watashi wa gakusei desu)
- わたしに がくせいです (watashi ni gakusei desu)
Show answer
Answer: わたしは がくせいです (watashi wa gakusei desu)
わたしは がくせいです uses は (wa) as the topic marker — the most natural way to introduce yourself. The structure is [Topic] は [Noun] です. が is the subject marker (used differently), を is the object marker, and に marks direction/time/location.
2. How do you make a yes/no question from です sentences?
- Add か before です
- Add の at the end
- Change です to ですか
- Add か at the end of the sentence
Show answer
Answer: Add か at the end of the sentence
Add か to the end of any statement to make it a question: わたしはがくせいです → わたしはがくせいですか？ (Are you a student?) The intonation rises slightly on か. In casual speech, rising intonation alone forms questions.
3. What does これはだれのですか？(kore wa dare no desu ka?) mean?
- What is this?
- Where is this?
- Whose is this?
- When is this?
Show answer
Answer: Whose is this?
だれの (dare no) = whose. だれ = who, の = possessive marker. これはだれのですか = "As for this, whose is it?" The answer would be: わたしのです (It's mine) or やまださんのです (It's Yamada-san's).
Practise です (desu) in the free app
This point is part of the “Sentence Structure and です” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N5 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N5 grammar points
From the same lesson: Sentence Structure and です
Frequently asked questions
What does です (desu) mean?
The polite copula — "to be" in Japanese. Links subject to description: わたしはがくせいです (I am a student). Does not change for person. Add か to make a question.
Is です (desu) on the JLPT N5 test?
です (desu) is taught in the JLPT N5 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Sentence Structure and です”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise です (desu)?
Open the “Sentence Structure and です” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N5 mock exams, with no ads.