CHEATSHEET

Japanese
Grammar
Level 1.1

Speaking 5 Writing
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3
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Culture Reading

Listening Grammar

Vocabulary
1 Sentence Pattern, A wa B desu.

The sentence pattern ‘A wa B desu.’ is used when you say what something is to mean "A is B."
In this sentence pattern, there are these two key grammar components.

(1) Topic-marking particle, は wa: It marks the topic of a sentence and it's translated as “as for”. The par-
ticle wa is written as は ("ha") in hiragana, but the pronunciation is wa. This applies only when は is used
as a particle.

(2) Linking verb, です desu: It’s a polite form of the linking verb, だ da, which is equivalent to English
am/is/are.

The sentence pattern, "[ A ] wa [ B ] desu." literally means "as for [ A ], [ B ] is." but it means "[ A ] is [ B ]."

わたしは　こばやしです。
Watashi wa Kobayashi desu.

(Lit.) As for me, Kobayashi is.

I’m Kobayashi.

Examples:
しゅっしんは　おおさかです。 わたしは　かいしゃいんです。
Shusshin wa, Ōsaka desu. Watashi wa, kaishain desu.
(lit.) As for (my) hometown, Osaka is. (lit.) As for me, a company employee is.
“I’m from Osaka.” I’m a company employee.

でんわばんごうは　090-0629-8812 です。
Denwa bangō wa 090 - 0629 - 8812 desu.
(lit.) As for the phone number, 090-0629-8812 is.
The phone number is 090-0629-8812.

2 Question-marking particle: か ka

To make a question sentence in Japanese, just add the question-marking particle, ka to the end of the
sentence. Unlike question sentences in English, when a statement becomes a question, the word order
stays the same.

げんきです。 げんきですか。
Genki desu. Genki desu ka.
I’m fine. Are you fine?
(How are you?)
Pattern:［Sentence］+ ka.
Examples:
たなか：はしもとさんは　いしゃですか。
はしもと：はい、いしゃです。
Tanaka: Hashimoto-san wa isha desu ka.
Hashimoto: Hai, isha desu.
Tanaka: Are you a doctor, Mr. Hashimoto?
Hashimoto: Yes, I am (a doctor).

ささき : かいけいしですか。
すずき：はい、かいけいしです。
Sasaki: Kaikeishi desu ka.
Suzuki: Hai, Kaikeishi desu.
Sasaki: Are you an accountant?
Suzuki: Yes, I am (an accountant).

3 Polite negative form of the linking verb, ではありません de wa arimasen

The polite negative form of the linking verb desu is dewa arimasen, which means "is not/am not/are
not." You can create a negative sentence, such as “A is not B.” by replacing desu with dewa arimasen.

わたしは　きょうしです。 わたしは　きょうしではありません。
Watashi wa kyōshi desu. Watashi wa kyōshi de wa arimasen.
(Lit.) As for me, teacher is. (Lit.) As for me, teacher is not.
I’m a teacher. I’m not a teacher.

There are 3 negative forms of desu;

ではありません　de wa arimasen
じゃありません ja arimasen
じゃないです ja nai desu

Although all of these expressions are polite, de wa arimasen（ではありません）is the most polite among
these three.

Examples:
いしゃではありません。かんごしです。
Isha dewa arimasen. Kangoshi desu.
I’m not a (medical) doctor. I'm a nurse.

きょうしじゃありません。
Kyōshi ja arimasen.
I’m not a teacher.

がくせいじゃないです。しゅふです。
Gakusei ja nai desu. Shufu desu.
I’m not a college student. I’m a homemaker.
4 Possessive-marking particle: の no

The particle no usually appears between two nouns and indicates that the first noun possesses the sec-
ond noun. When the particle no is used in the form of “A no B,” it is usually translated as “A’s B” or “B of A.”

たなかさんのかさ
Tanaka-san no kasa
Ms. Tanaka’s umbrella

You can use the particle no multiple times. For example, watashi no tomodachi no kasa, meaning
“my friend’s umbrella.”

Examples:
わたしのでんわばんごうは　090-0368-4276 です。
Watashi no denwa bangō wa 090 - 0368 - 4276 desu.
My phone number is 090-0368-4276.

わたしのしゅみは　どくしょです。
Watashi no shumi wa dokusho desu.
"My hobby is reading."