Translation guide
The English verb 'be' has no single Japanese equivalent. Japanese expresses existence, identity, location, and description through different verbs and sentence patterns. This guide covers the most common ways to express 'be' in Japanese, organized by meaning.
I am a student.
There is a cat.
It is raining.
Expressing that something or someone exists or is present.
Used for animate things (people, animals). Casual form.
There is a cat.
Used for inanimate things (objects, plants, abstract concepts). Casual form.
Polite form of いる.
Polite form of ある.
There is a bank in front of the station.
Stating what something or someone is, defining or identifying.
Plain form copula. Used in casual speech and writing.
I am a student.
Saying where someone or something is located.
Use いる for animate, ある for inanimate. The location particle に marks the place.
He is at home.
Describing a subject with an adjective.
For i-adjectives, simply add です for politeness. In plain form, the adjective ends the sentence.
Expressing an ongoing action or a resulting state.
The ている form covers both progressive actions ('is doing') and resultant states ('has done'). Context clarifies the meaning.
Expressing that an action is done to the subject.
Japanese passive is formed by verb conjugation. It often implies that the subject is affected, sometimes negatively.
Understanding when 'be' is not explicitly translated.
In very casual conversation, だ/です is often dropped, especially by women or in questions.
What is this?
English 'be' maps to many different Japanese structures. Using です for every 'be' will sound unnatural. Choose the pattern based on what you want to express: existence, identity, location, or description.
いる is for living, moving things (people, animals). ある is for non-living things, plants, and abstract concepts. Using the wrong one is a common mistake.
There is a dog.
There is a book on the desk.
先生は教室にいます。
The teacher is in the classroom.
Polite copula. The most common way to say 'A is B' in polite conversation.
This is a book.
Formal written copula, often used in academic or official contexts.
Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
The keys are on the table.
Polite alternative, often used when the location is the focus or in response to questions.
The restroom is over there.
This dish is delicious.
The sky is blue.
For na-adjectives, use だ (plain) or です (polite) after the adjective. Do not add な before だ/です.
This town is quiet.
He is energetic.
It is raining now.
The window is open.
Polite form of ている.
My mother is cooking in the kitchen.
This book is read by many people.
私、学生。
I'm a student.
Particles like よ, ね, わ can replace the copula to add nuance without explicitly saying 'be'.
It's nice weather, isn't it?
机がある。
There is a desk.
Japanese adjectives are predicates by themselves. You don't need a separate verb for 'be' when using adjectives. Simply add です for politeness.