です
to be (polite)
Examples
3 of 5私は学生です。
I am a student.
こちらが本日の会議の資料です。
This is the material for today's meeting.
これは私のペンですよ。
This is my pen, you know.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of 'Desu' as the 'Dress' of a sentence—it dresses up your words to make them polite and presentable to others.
Quick Quiz
これは私の本___。
Correct!
The correct answer is: です
Examples
私は学生です。
everydayI am a student.
こちらが本日の会議の資料です。
formalThis is the material for today's meeting.
これは私のペンですよ。
informalThis is my pen, you know.
日本の首都は東京です。
academicThe capital of Japan is Tokyo.
担当の田中です。よろしくお願いいたします。
businessI am Tanaka, the person in charge. Pleased to meet you.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
いいですよ
That's fine / No problem.
どちら様ですか
Who is it? (Polite)
お元気ですか
How are you?
Often Confused With
Both mean 'to be,' but 'da' is the informal/plain version, while 'desu' is the polite version.
Both make a sentence polite, but 'desu' follows nouns and adjectives, while 'masu' follows verbs.
Usage Notes
Desu is placed at the very end of a sentence to complete the thought politely. It can follow a noun, a na-adjective (without the 'na'), or an i-adjective.
Common Mistakes
Beginners often try to add 'desu' after a verb in its polite 'masu' form (e.g., 'tabemasu desu'), which is incorrect because 'masu' already contains the politeness and ending function.
Memory Tip
Think of 'Desu' as the 'Dress' of a sentence—it dresses up your words to make them polite and presentable to others.
Word Origin
Commonly thought to be a contraction of 'de gozaimasu' or 'de arimasu,' standardizing during the Edo period as a polite copula.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
The use of 'desu' is central to 'teineigo' (polite language), which is essential for maintaining social harmony and showing respect to strangers, elders, or colleagues.
Quick Quiz
これは私の本___。
Correct!
The correct answer is: です
Related Grammar Rules
More grammar words
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