XはYです

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Here are the key points of this lesson: Omission of the subject (Xは) Using 'は' for clarity Nouns in Japanese” Omission of the subject (Xは) In Japanese, sentences often omit subjects when the context makes them clear, unlike in English where subjects like "I" or "it" are typically included.  For example, "I am a student," "My major is Japanese language," and "It is 12:30" translate into Japanese as "がくせいです," "にほんごです," and "12じはんです," respectively, without direct subjects. Using 'は' for clarity If the context doesn't provide clarity, Japanese sentences can start with a topic marked by "wa" (は in hiragana), indicating "As for X, it is Y.” For example,  “わたしは がくせいです" (As for me, I am a student), “せんこうは にほんごです" (As for my major, it is Japanese language), and "じかんは12じはんです" (As for the current time, it is 12:30). The particle "wa" (は), used to denote ...
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6. Can you say “what is this?” In Japanese?

 6. kore/sore/are wa nan desuka?



In Japanese, you can ask about the name of an object using a simple structure. By combining the words "これ kore" (this), "それ sore" (that), or "あれ are" (that over there) with the question word "なん nan" (what), you can easily inquire about objects. 

To ask about the name of an object, you can use the following structure:

A: これはなんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?) - What is this?
B: それはめがねです。 (Sore wa megane desu.) - It's glasses.

In the first question, "これ kore" (this) is used to refer to an object near the speaker. By combining it with "なんですか nan desu ka?" (what is it?), you can ask, "What is this?" In response, "それ sore" (that) is used to point out that the object in question is glasses and refer to an object near the listener (A).

When asking about an object that is further away from the speaker, use the following structure:

A: あれはなんですか？ (Are wa nan desu ka?) - What is that over there?
B: あれはスカイツリーです。 (Are wa sukai tsurī desu.) - That is Tokyo Skytree [tower].

In the second question, "あれ are" (that over there) is used to refer to an object that is distant from both the speaker and the listener. When combined with "なんですか nan desu ka?" (what is it?), it becomes, "What is that over there?" In response, "あれ are" is used again to refer to the Tokyo Skytree, and "desu" is added to complete the sentence.

Remember to replace "kore" with "this," "sore" with "that," and "are" with "that over there", depending on the distance from the speaker.


Note on Punctuation:
In formal Japanese, a question mark (?) is not used. However, in casual writing such as manga (comics) or messages to friends, the question mark is commonly used to indicate a question.


Location: Japan

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