です
desu[de̞sɨ̥]
The Japanese phrase for "are" is です (desu).
です is a linking verb used to state that someone or something is a specific thing, or to describe a state of being and equate two things.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, です does not change its form based on whether the subject is singular, plural, first, second or third person.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the statement です into a question, you add か to the end to form ですか. To express the negative "is not" or "are not", use the formal ではありません or the casual/polite じゃないです.
How do you pronounce it?
desu
Did you know?
- While です equates two things, it is rarely used to describe a physical location, where a different verb あります or います must be used instead.
- There are several competing theories on the origin of です, including that it may be a contraction of であります, でございます or でそうろう.
- In spoken Japanese, the final 'u' in です is often silent, meaning it sounds more like 'dess' than 'deh-soo'.
Examples in context
- 眠いですか？Are you sleepy?This sentence uses です to ask if someone is sleepy.Tatoeba #81007 by tommy__san, translation #322709 by CK
- 本気ですか。Are you serious?This sentence uses です to ask if someone is being serious.Tatoeba #81589 by bunbuku, translation #373215 by kotobaboke
- 独身ですか。Are you single?This sentence uses です to ask if someone is single.Tatoeba #123421 by tommy_san, translation #280576 by CK
- 先生はお客様でございます。The teacher is a customer (polite form).
- 1508 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hina and Ren are meeting for the first time.
- 陽葵 Himariあなたは学生ですか。Anata wa gakusei desu ka.Are you a student?
- 蓮 Renはい、大学生です。Hai, daigakusei desu.Yes, I am a college student.
- 陽葵 Himariそうですか。私は会社員です。Sō desu ka. Watashi wa kaishain desu.I see. I am an office worker.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは親切ですね。Hina-san wa shinsetsu desu ne.Hina, you are kind, aren't you?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry です, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries です, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
