First step to learning Japanese

Grammar Notes

Janai desu is the negative form of desu.

Desu has affirmative and negative forms, as well the non past and past forms.
See the table below.
Ja arimasen and ja arimasendeshita are more formal.
We use janai desu because it is commonly used in the daily situation.

Practice 1

Let's practice the following words.

	keitai	mobile phone
	koocha	(black) tea
	ocha	Japanese green tea
	wain	wine
	sensei	teacher

Practice 2

Let's make sentences and speak it.

	Kore wa keitai janai desu.
	This is not a mobile phone.
	Kore wa koocha janai desu.
	This is not tea.
	Kore wa ocha janai desu.
	This is not Japanese tea.
	Kore wa wain janai desu.
	This is not wine.
	Greg-san wa Amerika-jin janai desu.
	Greg-san is not an American.
	Susan-san wa sensei janai desu.
	Susan-san is not a teacher.