Chapter 2
です
Is/ am/ are
Let’s look at some examples:
かのじょRomaji: kanojoEnglish: SheはがくせいRomaji: gakuseiEnglish: Studentです。 She is a student. |
かれらRomaji: kareraEnglish: TheyはRomaji: waEnglish: Topic markerがくせいRomaji: gakuseiEnglish: Studentです。 They are students. |
私Romaji: watashiClass: KanjiEnglish: IはRomaji: ha (pronounced wa)Class: HiraganaEnglish: Topic markerせんせいRomaji: senseiClass: HiraganaEnglish: Teacheeです。 I am a teacher. |
せんせい’s notes:
As a native English speaker with very little knowledge of languages before studying Japanese, I always wondered what they meant by the verb ‘to be’.
As mentioned above, it’s generally seen as ‘is, am or are’ in English. However, a fun way of looking at it would be.. a pirate!
By that I mean, how a pirate might not say ‘is/am/are’, but instead use ‘be’.
"Arr, ye be a fine crew."
“She be a student.”
“He be a teacher.”