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In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Japanese grammar N1はN2です.
※N＝Noun（名詞 めいし）
First impressions matter when meeting new people.
In this blog, we'll explore the use of "～は～です," a common grammar structure in Japanese self-introductions.
Let's study the grammar "N１はN２です" in order toenhance cross-cultural communication.
👉<Use>
This sentence pattern is often used to express the attributes of the subject in the predicate, as in "わたしは がくせいです（Watashi wa gakusei desu)。", which means "I am a student", or to express equivalence, as in "これは りんごです" (Kore wa ringo desu), which means "This is an apple."
👉<Form>
"N１はN２です" consists of two parts.
The first part, marked with "は" (wa).
"は"（wa) is one of particles. This particle indicates that the noun before it (N1) is the topic of the sentence.
The second part, "です" (desu).
"です (desu)" is an auxiliary verb that expresses assertion (means "to be"), like "is" or "am" in English, in a polite manner to the listener.
・（Postpositional）Particles: To attach themselves to nouns and indicate how the nouns relate to the sentence. They serve the same purpose as a preposition but come after the noun.
・auxiliary verb: a verb such as be, do and have used with main verbs to show tense, etc. and to form questions and negatives.
⚠Remember that Japanese uses SOV (subject-object-verb).
👉<Examples>
Here are some examples you can use to introduce yourself.
N2: Name
1. わたしは やまだです。
(Watashi wa yamada desu.)
I am Yamada.
2. わたしは ジョン・スミスです。
(Watashi wa Jon Sumisu desu.)
I'm John Smith.
3. わたしは サラです。
(Watashi wa Sara desu.)
I am Sarah.
4. こちらは すずきさんです。
(Kochira wa Suzuki-san desu.)
This is Ms. Suzuki.
5. こちらは パクさんです。
(Kochira wa Paku-san desu.)
This is Mr. Park.
N2: ～じん(jin)：nationality
The word "jin" can be added to the name of a country to indicate its nationality.
e.g. にほんじん(nihonjin):Japanese
1. わたしは にほんじんです。
(Watashi wa nihonjin desu.)
I am Japanese.
2. わたしは フィリピンじんです。
(Watashi wa firipinjin desu.)
I am Filipino.
3. クレアさんは ドイツじんです。
(Kurea-san wa doitsujin desu.)
Claire-san is German.
4. パクさんは かんこくじんです。
(Paku-san wa kankokujin desu.)
Mr. Park is Korean.
5. ブラウンさんは アメリカじんです。
(Buraun-san wa amerikajin desu.)
Ms. Brown is American.
N2: Occupation
1. わたしは がくせいです。
(Watashi wa gakusei desu.)
I am a student.
2. わたしは エンジニアです。
(Watashi wa enjinia desu.)
I am an engineer.
3. サラさんは いしゃです。
(Sara-san wa isha desu.)
Sarah-san is a doctor.
4. パクさんは かいしゃいんです。
(Paku-san wa kaishain desu.)
Mr. Park is an office worker.
5. ブラウンさんは プログラマーです。
(Buraun-san wa puroguramā desu.)
Ms. Brown is a programmer.
⚠Sentences without subjects are very common in Japanese. If the subject is clear to the listener, speakers can omit it.
はじめまして。わたしは やまだです。にほんじんです。がくせいです。どうぞ よろしくおねがいします。
(Nice to meet you. I am Yamada. I am Japanese. I am a student.)
Video Explanation
Summary
- "N1はN2です" is used to express the subject's attribute through the predicate or to indicate equivalence between the subject and predicate.
- In this lesson, we studied the pattern where names, nationalities, or occupations appear in the N2 position.
Now try using this grammar in your own sentences.
Speaking Practice
Practice Japanese on italki
If you want to practice this grammar in real conversation, learning with a tutor can help you improve faster. Many learners find that regular speaking practice is the fastest way to become confident in Japanese.
Find a Japanese Tutor on italki →Suggested Study Material
Genki I (Beginner Japanese)
This grammar point is explained in Genki I (Lesson 1), a widely used beginner textbook for learning Japanese.
Check textbook details※Genki is available worldwide on Amazon. If the link does not work in your country, you can also search “Genki I” on your local Amazon.
