Greeting a Japanese Friend

です [desu]
is / am / are

You can use です [desu] when, saying something is something.

Attach です [desu] after the name of whatever you're talking about.

何ですか [nan desu ka]
What is it?

• 何 [nan] means "what"
• か [ka] makes the sentence into a question

これは何ですか [kore wa nan desu ka]
What is this?

• これ [kore] means "this"
• は [wa] says that your sentence is about the thing you're mentioning.

Attach です [desu] after the name of whatever you're talking about.

• ボールペンです [bo-rupen desu] It's a pen.
• ノートです [no-to desu] It's a notebook.
• カップです [kappu desu] It's a cup.

• A: これは何ですか
  What is this?
• B: ノートです [no-to desu]
  It's a notebook.
• B: これは何ですか [kore wa nan desu ka]
  What is this?
• A: ボールペンです
  It's a pen.
• B: これは何ですか [kore wa nan desu ka]
  What is this?
• A: カップです
  It's a cup.