Building a Basic Japanese Sentence: です and Verb-Final Order

The biggest structural difference between English and Japanese is that the verb comes last. Once you accept that, sentences become easy to build.

The core order

English: Subject – Verb – Object (I eat sushi). Japanese: Subject – Object – Verb.

わたしは すしを たべます。 (Watashi wa sushi o tabemasu.) — I eat sushi.

Everything comes before the verb, and the verb is the last word.

The copula です

です (desu) links a noun to what it is, like "am/is/are":

• わたしは がくせいです。 — I am a student.
• これは ほんです。 — This is a book.
• たなかさんは せんせいです。 — Mr Tanaka is a teacher.

Negatives with です

Form	Japanese
positive	がくせいです
negative	がくせいでは ありません / がくせいじゃ ありません
past	がくせいでした
past negative	がくせいでは ありませんでした

• わたしは せんせいじゃ ありません。 — I'm not a teacher.

Questions

Add か to the end:

• がくせいですか。 — Are you a student?
• これは なんですか。 — What is this?
• どこへ いきますか。 — Where are you going?

There is no change in word order for questions.

Dropping what's obvious

Japanese often leaves out the subject when it's clear:

• がくせいです。 — (I) am a student.
• すしが すきです。 — (I) like sushi.

You'll hear this constantly, and it makes conversation efficient.

Adding details

Add words before the verb, each with its own particle:

あした ともだちと としょかんで べんきょうします。 — Tomorrow I will study at the library with a friend.

Time comes early, then people and places, and the verb ends the sentence.

Dictionary and polite forms

Verbs in a dictionary appear in the plain form (たべる). In polite conversation, you use the -ます form (たべます). Beginners usually start with -ます.

Common mistakes

1. Putting the verb in the middle, as in English.
2. Overusing わたし. Native speakers drop it often.
3. Forgetting particles.

Tips

1. Build sentences from the end: verb first, then add pieces before it.
2. Practise short sentences with です.
3. Use the dictionary for verb forms.

Look up any word with English Japanese Dictionary →