です/だ (Copula)
[Noun/な-adj]です/だ
Explanation
Links subject with predicate noun or な-adjective. "Is/am/are."
Formation
Noun/な-adjective + です (polite) / だ (casual)
Examples
Usage Notes
- です is polite, だ is casual
- じゃない for casual negative
- ではありません for formal negative
- Past: でした/だった
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't use with い-adjectives
- だ is masculine/casual - women often omit
- Double です (ですです) is wrong
Related Grammar from "Basic Sentence Patterns"
Demonstratives (これ/それ/あれ/どれ)
Ko-so-a-do system
これ (kore) - this (near speaker); それ (sore) - that (near listener); あれ (are) - that over there (far from both); どれ (dore) - which one
だけ (Only/Just)
[Noun/Verb]だけ
Limitation marker meaning "only" or "just."
のほうが (Comparative)
[A]より[B]のほうが[Adjective]
"B is more [adjective] than A."