‹ All lessons
5. The being pattern
X は Y です
The second and last pattern
Every language has two patterns: doing and being. You have the first. The second is even simpler.
English: Jack is a diver. Japanese, reversed after the subject: Jack, a diver, is.
ジャックは ダイバー です. です is "is / am / are" and always comes last.
Adjectives and nouns both go in the Y slot: これはおいしいです (this is delicious), 私は弁護士です (I am a lawyer).
私は弁護士です。
I am a lawyer.
これはおいしいです。
This is delicious.
これは難しいです。
This is difficult.
娘は学生です。
My daughter is a student.
This, that, mine, and questions
これ = this (near me), それ = that (near you), あれ = that over there. 私の = my / mine.
A question adds か as usual: これは難しいですか (Is this difficult?).
これは私のです。
This is mine.
あれは駅ですか?
Is that over there the station?