Say what something is

です politely links a topic to what it is: 'X is Y'.

JLPTN5

Noun + です~ desu

say what something is

Example Sentences

ちち父father はいしゃ医者doctor です

My father is a doctor

Word Details →

わたし私I はコックcook です

I am a cook

Word Details →

It comes at the very end of the sentence, after the noun being stated, and carries no meaning of its own beyond 'is / am / are'. The plain, casual form is だ, which you swap in when politeness is not needed.

Tips and Common Traps

Hana· Key point

です is the polite glue that links a topic to what it is — it turns a floating noun into a complete sentence.

Maru· Common trap

です is not a verb — you can't conjugate it like one. The polite past is でした; the negative is じゃないです or ではありません.

Build the Sentence

JLPT N5

1 / 5

It is a fish

Arrange the words in the correct Japanese order:

です

is / am (polite)

さかな魚

fish

Topic は ...な-adjective + です