Japanese Lesson 4: Negative Sentences – Subject は Noun じゃないです

Japanese Lessons   

Negative Sentences – $Subject$ は $Noun$ じゃないです

Expressing that something is not as mentioned is an essential part of communication in Japanese. Using the pattern "$Subject$ は $Noun$ じゃないです," you can easily express negation in a polite and formal context. This structure is frequently used in daily conversations, especially when you need to clarify something politely.

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Part 1: Vocabulary List

Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
ちゃん	ちゃん	-chan	(A friendly suffix for kids or close friends)
あなた	あなた	anata	You
教師	きょうし	kyooshi	Teacher/Lecturer
会社員	かいしゃいん	kaishain	Office worker
銀行員	ぎんこういん	ginkoin	Bank employee
ブラジル	ぶらじる	Burajiru	Brazil
大学	だいがく	daigaku	University

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Part 2: Explanation of the Sentence Pattern

Pattern Structure:

$Subject$ は $Noun$ じゃないです

• Janaidesu (じゃないです): The negative form of desu, meaning "is not."
• The wa (は) particle is used to mark the subject of the sentence.

Additional Notes:

• In casual conversation, janaidesu is often shortened to janai.
• This pattern is versatile and can be used to explain jobs, origins, or someone's status.

Example Usage:

• Watashi wa kaishain janaidesu.
  (I am not an office worker.)
• Kare wa Nihon-jin janai.
  (He is not Japanese.)

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Part 3: Example Sentences

1. わたしは会社員じゃないです。
   Watashi wa kaishain janaidesu.
   I am not an office worker.

2. あなたは教師じゃないです。
   Anata wa kyooshi janaidesu.
   You are not a teacher.

3. 田中さんは銀行員じゃないです。
   Tanaka-san wa ginkoin janaidesu.
   Tanaka is not a bank employee.

4. これは大学じゃないです。
   Kore wa daigaku janaidesu.
   This is not a university.

5. 彼女はブラジル人じゃないです。
   Kanojo wa Burajiru-jin janaidesu.
   She is not Brazilian.

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Part 4: Practice Exercises

1. Create a sentence in Japanese that says, “He is not a teacher.”
2. Write a sentence in Japanese that means, “That is not a university.”

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Conclusion

The pattern "$Subject$ は $Noun$ じゃないです" is an essential tool for expressing negation in Japanese. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, making it a practical structure for daily communication. By practicing this pattern, you’ll gain more confidence in delivering clear and accurate messages in Japanese. Keep practicing, and you'll master it in no time!