〜です

Meaning

です ends a polite statement after a noun or na-adjective; after an i-adjective it adds politeness to the whole statement.

Formation

1. Noun + です: 学生です; na-adjective stem + です: 静かです.
2. Keep the i-adjective unchanged: 面白いです, 暑いです.

When to use it

Identifying something

Politely names an object, occupation, place, date, or another nominal property.

Polite description

Makes an adjective statement neutral and polite.

Important notes

• Non-past です can describe a present state or a general fact; context supplies the exact time.
• です is natural in ordinary polite speech, while close conversation often uses plain forms.

Common mistakes

• Do not add だ after an i-adjective: 高いです or plain 高い is correct, not 高いだ.
• Negate an i-adjective with くない rather than ではありません.

Similar grammar

• 〜だ〜だ makes the same kind of statement in plain informal style.
• 〜ではありません／じゃありません〜ではありません is the polite negative copula.
• 〜でした／だった〜でした moves the statement into the past.