Asakiri Japanese
Copula です／か - Greetings & Self Intro
Unit 1 : Basics
Overview
- Build first polite self-introductions using the copula 'です' and question particle 'か'.
- Recycle high-frequency greeting phrases so learners can open and close short conversations.
- Connect personal information (name, role, origin) to the thematic vocabulary for early interpersonal exchanges.
Learning Objectives
- State and ask for names, roles, and countries with 'A は B です／か' at an N5 level.
- Respond to simple identity questions with affirmative ('〜です') and negative ('〜ではありません') forms.
- Deliver a 4–6 line self-introduction that combines greetings, name, role, origin, and a courteous closing.
Prerequisites
- Basic hiragana recognition and polite greeting awareness (e.g., こんにちは).
- Exposure to particle 'は' as a topic marker (pre-taught in onboarding or preview note).
1. Affirmative statements with です
The polite copula 'です' works like the English verb 'to be' when connecting a topic to a noun that identifies or classifies it.
Structure: 'A は B です' where 'A' is the topic (often a person or thing already known) and 'B' is the label or role you assign.
- わたしは田中です。"I am Tanaka."
- わたしの名前はマリアです。"My name is Maria."
- こちらは先生です。"This person is a teacher."
Common identity nouns such as 学生 (student) and '先生' (teacher) let you talk about yourself and others right away. After you state the topic once, you can often drop it: 'わたしは学生です。' -> '学生です。' when the subject is clear from context.
2. Polite questions with か
Add the particle 'か' directly after 'です' to turn the sentence into a polite question. The rising pitch at the end cues the listener that a response is expected.
- おなまえはなんですか。"What is your name?" introduces the respectful prefix 'お' on '名前'.
- どこから来ましたか。"Where are you from?" previews the travel verb '来ました' while keeping the copula-centric focus.
Yes or no questions reuse the same pattern: '学生ですか。' Expect answers like 'はい、学生です。' or 'いいえ、学生ではありません。'
When you need specific information, drop the question word into the slot you are asking about.
- メアリーさんは何ですか。 -> 'メアリーさんは学生です。'
- おくにはどこですか。 -> 'おくにはアメリカです。'
'どちら' works like a more polite 'where' when speaking with teachers or new acquaintances.
Answer with the same structure to reinforce the form: 'アメリカの学生です。' or '日本の先生です。'
Country words ('国') often combine with the suffix '〜人' (pronounced 'じん') to describe nationality: '日本人です。' means 'I am Japanese.' Treat this as bonus input for now; later lessons will unpack the pattern in detail.