Welcome to our first Japanese Language Grammar lesson! In this lesson, we will explore the basic grammar pattern of "A は B　 です。" which means "I  am B, A  is B or As  are Bs.". This pattern is widely used in Japanese conversations and is essential to building a solid foundation in the language.

Let's start with an example: "わたし　 は 先生　 です。" which translates to "I am a  teacher.". In this sentence, "わたし" (watashi) means "I", "は" (wa) is a particle that marks the topic of the sentence, and "先生" (sensei) means "teacher". Finally, "です。" (desu) is a copula verb that connects the subject and the predicate.

Now, let's look at another example: "さくら　さん　 は かんごふ　さん　 です。" which translates to "Ms Sakura is a  nurse.". In this example, "さくら　さん" (Sakura-san) is a name, "は" (wa) marks the topic, "かんごふ　さん" (kangofu-san) means "nurse", and "です。" (desu) acts as the copula verb.

By using the "A は B　 です。" pattern, we can easily express occupations, nationalities, and personal attributes. It's important to remember that in Japanese, the subject usually comes before the predicate, and the use of particles like "は" (wa) helps to indicate the topic of the sentence. Practice using this pattern with different words to expand your vocabulary and improve your understanding of Japanese grammar.

Please Check Your Understanding:

1. What does the grammar pattern "A は B です" mean in English?

a) A is B

b) B is A

c) B is not A

d) A and B are the same

2. What is the purpose of the topic marker "は" in the sentence structure?

a) To indicate the subject of the sentence

b) To indicate politeness

c) To introduce the noun "B"

d) To emphasize the adjective

3. In the sentence "わたし は たろう です" (Watashi wa Tarou desu), what does "たろう" (Tarou) represent?

a) The topic marker

b) The subject

c) The description

d) Politeness

4. How would you say "She is a doctor" using the grammar pattern "A は B です"?

a) 彼女 は 先生 です。(Kanojo wa sensei desu)

b) 彼 は 先生 です。(Kare wa sensei desu)

c) 彼女 は 医者 です。(Kanojo wa isha desu)

d) 彼 は 医者 です。(Kare wa isha desu)

5. What does "Ms. Sakura is a nurse" translate to in Japanese using the grammar pattern "A は B です"?

a) さくら さん は かんごふ さん です。(Sakura-san wa kangofu-san desu)

b) さくら さん は せんせい です。(Sakura-san wa sensei desu)

c) かんごふ さん は さくら さん です。(Kangofu-san wa Sakura-san desu)

d) せんせい は さくら さん です。(Sensei wa Sakura-san desu)

Answers:

1. a) A is B

2. a) To indicate the subject of the sentence

3. c) The description

4. c) 彼女 は 医者 です。(Kanojo wa isha desu)

5. a) さくら さん は かんごふさん です。(Sakura-san wa kangofu-san desu)