JLPT N5 Grammar: A は B です — Basic Polite Sentence Pattern

JLPT N5 Grammar: A は B です

Q: Why is は pronounced わ?

The particle は (topic marker) is historically pronounced 'wa' when used as a grammatical particle. When it's part of a word like はな (flower), it's pronounced 'ha'.

The basic topic‑predicate pattern — “A is B”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽう A は B です解説かいせつ (主題しゅだいと述語じゅつご)

⏱️ Study time: 4–6 minutes

A は B です is the most basic sentence pattern in Japanese. It means "A is B" and is used to identify people, objects, nationalities, and more. The particle は (pronounced わ) marks the topic, and です adds politeness.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say "I am Japanese" using the polite pattern?

Answer: A (私は日本人です). は is the topic particle (pronounced わ), and です is the polite copula. B uses が (subject marker) which emphasises "it is *me* who is Japanese", C uses casual だ.

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
A は B です

Meaning
A is B (polite statement / identification)

Structure
Topic (noun) + は + Noun / na‑adj + です

Example
私わたしは学生がくせいです。わたしはがくせいです。Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.

📝 Core Pattern

Affirmative: Noun1 + は + Noun2 + です

Negative: Noun1 + は + Noun2 + ではありません / じゃありません

Question: Noun1 + は + Noun2 + ですか

☝️ は is always pronounced わ when it is a particle.

🧠 Review the polite copula? See です (desu) →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What is A は B です?

A は B です is the most fundamental sentence in Japanese. It simply equates topic A with noun/adjective B. The topic marker は (pronounced わ) indicates what we are talking about, and です makes the statement polite.

Use it to introduce yourself, your job, nationality, or possession.
The word order is always Topic + は + Predicate + です.
No need for "a/an/the" — Japanese doesn't have articles.

私わたしはアヌプです。わたしはあぬぷです。Watashi wa Anupu desu.
I am Anup. (polite self-introduction)

⚡ Pattern Variation

Sentence Type	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	A は B です	私わたしは先生せんせいです。わたしはせんせいです。Watashi wa sensei desu.
Negative	A は B ではありません	私わたしは学生がくせいではありません。わたしはがくせいではありません。Watashi wa gakusei dewa arimasen.
Question	A は B ですか	あなたは日本人にほんじんですか。あなたはにほんじんですか。Anata wa Nihonjin desu ka.

Examples & Mini Dialogue

彼かれは医者いしゃです。かれはいしゃです。Kare wa isha desu.
He is a doctor.

✅ Simple, polite identification.

これは猫ねこです。これはねこです。Kore wa neko desu.
This is a cat.

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: すみません、田中たなかさんですか。すみません、たなかさんですか。Sumimasen, Tanaka-san desu ka.
B: はい、私わたしは田中たなかです。はい、わたしはたなかです。Hai, watashi wa Tanaka desu.

⚡ は (topic) vs が (subject) – Quick Contrast

Particle	Function	Feeling	Example
は (wa)	Topic marker	General statement about the topic	私わたしは学生がくせいです。(I am a student – general fact)
が (ga)	Subject marker	Emphasises who/what does something	私わたしが学生がくせいです。(It is me who is the student)

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 私わたしは学生がくせい。

✓ 私わたしは学生がくせいです。 (always use です in polite speech; omitting it sounds casual/rude)

✕ わたしはがくせいです。

✓ 私わたしは学生がくせいです。

✕ 私わたしは学生がくせいだです。

✓ 私わたしは学生がくせいです。

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. "She is a teacher." Choose the correct polite pattern.

2. How do you make the sentence negative? "I am not a student."

3. Which particle is the topic marker?

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: Nearly every JLPT N5 question involving です uses the topic marker は. Knowing when to use は vs が is one of the first big hurdles — master it early to avoid confusion.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is は pronounced わ?

The particle は (topic marker) is historically pronounced "wa" when used as a grammatical particle. When it's part of a word like はな (flower), it's pronounced "ha".

Can I omit です?

In casual speech yes (だ), but on the JLPT N5 and in polite conversation, always use です or ではありません at the end of the sentence.

What's the difference between は and が?

は marks the topic (what the sentence is about), が marks the subject (who or what performs the action). In "A は B です", you're stating a fact about A. With が you're singling out A as the answer.

Continue Learning

Next: これ、それ、あれ — demonstratives + です.

Learn demonstratives →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

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