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です, ある and いる
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Identity with です, existence split by animacy with ある/いる, possession, and polite negation.
です — identity and adjectives
です (desu) links identity: 私は先生です (I am a teacher). Adjectives split into two tribes: い-adjectives conjugate themselves (高いです — is expensive; 高くないです — isn't), while な-adjectives need です (静かです — is quiet; 静かじゃありません — isn't). Past: でした (学生でした — was a student). Polite negative: じゃありません / ではありません.
ある vs いる — alive or not?
Existence splits by animacy: いる (iru) for living things, ある (aru) for the rest. 猫がいます (there is a cat), 本があります (there is a book). Location first: 机の上に本があります (on the desk there is a book). Negatives: いません / ありません. Robots and company departments take いる — if it moves with purpose, it's alive.
"I have" through existence
Possession is expressed as existence-at-me: 私は車があります (as for me, a car exists — I have a car). Siblings: 兄弟がいます (I have siblings). Time and events use ある: 時間がありますか (do you have time?), 会議があります (there is a meeting). No verb "to have" exists — existence covers it.
Politeness is grammar
です/ます is the polite baseline — plain forms (だ・である, dictionary verbs) wait for friends and writing. Above polite sits keigo (honorific language): humble verbs for your own acts (参ります for go), exalted verbs for others' (いらっしゃいます). Beginners: master です/ます everywhere — over-polite beats under-polite with every stranger.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| です (identity) | 私は先生です — I am a teacher |
| い-adjective | 高いです / 高くないです |
| な-adjective | 静かです / 静かじゃありません |
| いる (animate) | 猫がいます — there is a cat |
| ある (inanimate) | 本があります — there is a book |
| possession | 私は車があります — I have a car |