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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1. Can you say your name in Japanese?

1. N1 wa N2 desu.




This sentence pattern is used to talk about a person's name, nationality, or occupation. N1 is used to introduce the person, and N2 is used to describe their name, nationality, or occupation. Pronouns like watashi (I), kare (he), or kanojo (she) are often used for N1. Let's take a look at some examples:

Watashi wa Maiku desu. (I am Mike.)

Watashi wa Amerika-jin desu. (I am American.)

Watashi wa gakusē desu. (I am a student.)

Instead of using a pronoun in N1, you can also use a person's name, like Tanaka, Yamada, or Hanako. You should use an honorific like "-san" or "-sensei" after their name. However, "-san" is not used when talking about oneself, and "-sensei" is usually only used for teachers and doctors.

For example:

Tanaka-san wa Nihon-jin desu. (Mr. Tanaka is Japanese.)

That's all there is to it! This pattern can help you describe people's names, nationalities, and occupations in Japanese.

Location: Japan

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