KANAKUMA

JLPT N5 · Copulas and sentence types

〜だ

Forms a plain informal statement

Meaning

だ is the plain copula after a noun or na-adjective. It corresponds to polite です but belongs to informal style.

Formation

  1. Noun + だ: 学生だ; na-adjective stem + だ: 静かだ.
  2. Do not add だ after an i-adjective: say 高い, not 高いだ.

When to use it

Informal assertion
Used with close speakers, in inner speech, and in plain written style.
Inside a larger sentence
The plain copula is required before some grammatical endings and in quotations.

Examples

22 sentences

  • この町まちは静かしずかだ

    This town is quiet.

  • 今日きょうは休みやすみだ

    Today is a day off.

  • 彼かれは学生がくせいだ

    He is a student.

  • あれは私わたしの傘かさだ

    That is my umbrella.

  • 明日あしたは日曜日にちようびだ

    Tomorrow is Sunday.

  • この問題もんだいは簡単かんたんだ

    This problem is easy.

  • 彼女かのじょは私わたしの友だちともだちだ

    She is my friend.

  • ここは安全あんぜんだ

    It is safe here.

14 more examples

  • あの人ひとは医者いしゃだ

    That person is a doctor.

  • 原因げんいんは雨あめだ

    The cause is the rain.

  • 駅えきの隣となりが私わたしの学校がっこうだ

    The building next to the station is my school.

  • あの人ひとは父ちちの友達ともだちだ

    That person is my father's friend.

  • あの人ひとは料理人りょうりにんだ

    That person is a cook.

  • 私わたしの妹いもうとは大学生だいがくせいだ

    My younger sister is a university student.

  • こちらは出口でぐちだ

    This is the exit.

  • この建物たてものは美術館びじゅつかんだ

    This building is an art museum.

  • その箱はこの中身なかみはお菓子おかしだ

    The content of that box is sweets.

  • 私わたしの担当たんとうは受付うけつけだ

    My assignment is reception duty.

  • あちらの女性じょせいは看護師かんごしだ

    That woman over there is a nurse.

  • 今日きょうの昼ご飯ひるごはんはカレーだ

    Today's lunch is curry.

  • 兄あにの専門せんもんは歴史れきしだ

    My older brother's specialty is history.

  • 次つぎの授業じゅぎょうは音楽おんがくだ

    The next class is music.

Important notes

  • Sentence-final だ can sound firm; casual speech sometimes drops it, especially after a noun.

Common mistakes

  • Do not combine the styles as 学生だです.
  • Do not place だ after an ordinary i-adjective.

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

  1. あの人ひとは医者いしゃだ
  2. この建物たてものは美術館びじゅつかんだ
  3. 次つぎの授業じゅぎょうは音楽おんがくだ

Similar grammar

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