~は~だ Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Structure
Essential Meaning: As for X, it’s Y
Construction:
- (Topic + は) + (Noun Phrase + だ)
- E.g. これはペンだ [As for this, it’s a pen.]
Notes:
- ~は~だ is a perhaps the most basic and fundamental sentence structure in the Japanese language. You may be temped to translate a sentence such as XはYだ as “X is Y.” For example, it is common to translate a sentence such as これはペンだ as “This is a pen“. Beware of falling into this habit. A better translation would be “As for X, Y” or “Speaking of X, it’s Y.” The reasoning is that は in this structure does not indicate a subject / object relationship between X and Y. It simply indicates that X is the topic of discussion, and Y is some statement that pertains to that topic. As an illustration, consider the sentence: 家内は紅茶だ。[As for my wife, it’s green tea.] It would clearly make no sentence to translate this sentence as “My wife is black tea“. What the speaker is really doing is introducing his wife as the topic of discussion and then making a statement that pertains to her. The context may be that the speaker is making an order at a cafe on behalf of his wife, or he may be talking to someone about his wife’s favorite drink.
- E.g. 家内は紅茶だ。[As for my wife, it’s green tea.]
- Generally speaking, the copula だ can be used in place of a predicate if the predicate can be understood implicitly from context.
- E.g. 私は毎朝コーヒーを飲む。家内は紅茶だ。[As for me, I drink coffee every morning. As for my wife, it’s tea (that is drunk every morning).] In this example, the copula だ is taking the place of the predicate 飲む in sentence 2 since it is clear from prior context that the speaker is discussing the drinking of beverages.
- E.g. A: 私はハワイへ行きます。B:私はフロリダです。[A: I’m going to Hawaii. B: As for me, it’s Florida (where I’m going).] In this example, the formal copula です replaces the predicate 行く in sentence 2.
- E.g. このレストランは寿司が美味しい。あのレストランは天ぷらです。[As for this restaurant, the sushi is delicious. As for that restaurant, it’s the tempura (that’s delicious).] In this example, the formal copula です replaces the predicate 美味しい in sentence 2.
- E.g. ディックはスケートが上手だ。ポールはスキーだ。[As for Dick, he’s good at skating. As for Paul, it’s skiing (that he’s good at).] In this example, だ replaces the predicate 上手だ in sentence 2.
- E.g. みつこはお母さんが病気だ。つとむはお父さんだ。[As for Mitsuko, her mother is ill. As for Tsutomu, it’s her father (who is ill).] In this example, だ replaces the predicate 病気だ in sentence 2.
- The copula だ in XはYだ usually appears in the non-past tense regardless of the tense of the main predicate that it replaces.
- E.g. A: 僕は病気で休んだ。B: 僕は怪我でだ。[A: As for me, I was absent due to illness. B: As for me, it was an injury.] Note that the predicate in sentence 1 is in the past tense, but the copula in sentence 2 is nonpast.
- In the structure XはYだ, Yだ may be a standalone noun or noun phrase (e.g. 本だ) or it may be a noun phrase with a particle attached (e.g. 8時からだ). In the latter case, the following particle rules must be applied:
- (1) が, を, へ, に (Time), and に (Direction) must be dropped before the copula.
- E.g. を: 私は毎朝コーヒーを飲む。家内は紅茶だ。[As for me, I drink coffee every morning. As for my wife, it’s tea.] In this case, を drops after 紅茶 in the 2nd sentence.
- E.g. へ: A: 私はハワイへ行きます。B: 私はフロリダです。[A: As for me, I will go to Hawaii. B: As for me, it’s Florida.] In this case, へ drops after フロリダ in the 2nd sentence.
- E.g. が: このレストランは寿司が美味しい。あのレストランは天ぷらだ。[As for this restaurant, the sushi is delicious. As for that restaurant, it’s the tempura.] In this case, が drops after 天ぷら in the 2nd sentence.
- E.g. が: ティックはスケートが上手だ。ポールはスキーだ。[As for Dick, he’s good at skating. As for Paul, it’s skiing.] In this case, が drops after スキー in the 2nd sentence.
- E.g. が: みつこはお母さんが病気だ。つとむはお父さんだ。[As for Mitsuko, her mother is ill. As for Tsutomu, it’s her father.] In this case, が drops after お父さん in the 2nd sentence.
- E.g. を: 僕はうなぎだ。[As for me, it’s unagi.] In this case, を drops after うなぎ (assuming that the speaker is referring to eating unagi).
- E.g. に (Time): A: 僕は八時に起きる。B: 僕は十時です。[A: I get up at 8. B: As for me, it’s 10.] In this case, に (Time) drops after 十時 in the 2nd sentence.
- (2) に (Indirect object), に (Passive / Causative), に (Surface), で (Location), and で (Means / Instrument) may drop optionally.
- E.g. に (Indirect object): A: 僕はけんに頼んだ。B: 僕はアンディー(に)だ。[A: As for me, I asked Ken. B: As for me, it was Andy.]
- E.g. で (Location): A: 僕はアパートで勉強する。B: 僕は図書館(で)だ。[As for me, I study at my apartment. B: As for me, it’s the library.]
- E.g. に (Passive / Causative): A: 僕はガラガラヘビに食べられた。B: 僕はサメ(に)だ。[A: I was eaten by a rattlesnake. B: As for me, it was a shark.]
- E.g. に (Surface): A: 私は壁に絵を描いた。B: 私はゆか(に)だ。[I drew a picture on the wall. As for me, it was the floor.]
- E.g. で (Means / Instrument): A: 僕はお箸で食べる。B: 僕はフォークとナイフ(で)だ。[A: I eat with chopsticks. B: As for me, it’s a fork and knife.]
- (3) で (Cause), と (Reciprocal Relationship), から, and まで usually do not drop.
- E.g. で (Cause): A: 僕は病気で休んだ。B: 僕は怪我でだ。[As for me, I was absent due to illness. B: As for me, it was an injury.]
- E.g. から: A: 私はアメリカからきました。B: 僕はオスとラリアからです。[I’m from America. B: As for m, I’m from Australia.]
- E.g. と (Reciprocal Relationship): A: 私はいちろうと踊りました。 B: 私はのぶたとです。[A: As for me, I danced with Ichiro. B: As for me, it was Nobuta.]
- (1) が, を, へ, に (Time), and に (Direction) must be dropped before the copula.
- In the structure XはYだ, Xは may drop if the topic can be understood clearly from context.
- E.g. A: それはなんですか。B: (これは)辞書です。[A: What’s that? B: It’s a dictionary.]
Example Sentences:
これは本だ。[As for this, it’s a book.]
コンサートは八時からだ。[As for the concert, it’s from 8 o’clock.]
あの人は先生だ。 [As for that person, he’s a teacher.]
私はジョーンズです。[As for me, my name is Jones.]
授業は四時までだ。[As for class, it’s until 4 o’clock.]
今度の試合はワシントン大学とだ。[As for this match, it’s against the University of Washington.]
WILD Examples:
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