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L1: Grammar
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The absolute foundation of Japanese sentences.
General form: [Topic] は [Something] です = 'As for Topic, it is Something.' Think of です as an '=' sign — the whole point of the sentence sits in the noun right before it. は is the topic marker (written は but pronounced 'wa' — one of Japanese's most-forgotten quirks).
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X は Y です (Identity)
は (wa) marks the topic. です (desu) = 'is'. わたしはがくせいです。= I am a student. The subject is often omitted when clear from context.
Question marker か
Add か to the end of a statement to make it a question. がくせいです → がくせいですか？ No change in word order needed.
Question word なん
なん/なに = 'what'. せんこうはなんですか。= What is your major? なんじですか。= What time is it? Use なん before です, じ, ねんせい.
Particle の (possessive/modifier)
Connects two nouns: Noun1 の Noun2. にほんごのがくせい = a student of Japanese. たけしさんのでんわばんごう = Takeshi's phone number.
Honorific titles: さん, くん, ちゃん
さん: default polite (Mr./Ms.). くん: for boys/male subordinates. ちゃん: for children/close friends. Never use on yourself.
せんせい vs. きょうし
せんせい is used to address/refer to a teacher (honorific). きょうし is used to describe your own occupation modestly. Never call yourself せんせい.
Why あなた is rarely used
あなた (you) is considered rude in most contexts. Use the person's name + さん instead. E.g., たけしさんはがくせいですか。
わたし＿＿がくせいです。(I am a student.)
は
せんこう＿＿なんですか。(What is [your] major?)
は
にほんご＿＿せんせい (a teacher of Japanese)
の
I am a second-year student.
にねんせいです。
What time is it now?
いまなんじですか。
I am a student of economics at the University of Tokyo.
とうきょうだいがくのけいざいのがくせいです。
It is 2:30 PM.
ごごにじはんです。