Lesson 1: Introducing Yourself: は, です and か

In Course 1 you learned the scripts, greetings and a first self-introduction. Now we turn those few phrases into real grammar. By the end of this lesson you can say who you are, ask who someone is, say "I am not…", say "me too", and talk about age.

Pattern 1: A は B です (A is B)

は (read wa) marks the topic: what the sentence is about. です is the polite "is / am / are". There is nothing like a separate am / is / are for each person: です is the same for I, you, he, they. In Nepali the verb changes (हुँ, हो, हुनुहुन्छ), so this is simpler.

Pattern 2: questions with か

Add か to the end. Do not change the word order and do not raise your voice as strongly as in English. Answer with はい (yes) or いいえ (no).

A choice question joins two answers: A ですか、B ですか.

Pattern 3: the negative, じゃありません

A は B じゃありません means "A is not B". In writing and formal speech you also see ではありません. Both are correct and polite.

Pattern 4: も (also) and の (of)

も replaces は when the same thing is true for a second topic: I am a student. Sita is a student too. の joins two nouns: A の B = B of A, like को / का. It shows belonging, type or origin.

Do not use さん for yourself. You say ラムです, never ラムさんです. For a doctor or a teacher, せんせい is used instead of さん: たなかせんせい.

Words: people and jobs

Age

Add さい to the number. 1 is いっさい, 8 is はっさい and 10 is じゅっさい, and 20 is a special word: はたち. Ask with なんさいですか or the polite おいくつですか.

Do not ask older people or colleagues their age in Japan unless you are close: it can feel too personal. The question is common at the age of study or with friends.

Dialogue: at an orientation

Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.

Check yourself

Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.

1. Say "I am a student."
2. Make it a question: ラムさんは せんせいです。
3. Say "I am not a teacher."
4. Say "Sita is a student too."
5. What does ネパールの がくせい mean?
6. How do you say 20 years old?
7. How do you ask "How old are you?" politely?
8. Why can you not say わたしは ラムさんです?
9. Answer: ネパールじんですか、インドじんですか。 (You are Nepali.)
10. Which particle replaces は to mean "also"?

Answers

Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.

1. わたしは がくせいです。
2. ラムさんは せんせいですか。
3. わたしは せんせいじゃありません。
4. シタさんも がくせいです。
5. A student from Nepal.
6. はたち (hatachi).
7. おいくつですか。
8. さん is a polite ending for other people. Do not use it for yourself.
9. ネパールじんです。
10. も.