です

Pronunciation

des / desu

Meaning / Usage

noun/adjective + です。
Very basic gobi to describe present tense.

Examples

この犬の顔、なんか変です
このいぬのかお、なんかへんです
This dog’s face is kind of weird.

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
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Impolite ・・・★・ Polite
Informal ・・・★・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・★・ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・・★ Common

Audio

Related Gobi

んです

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ですか?

Pronunciation

deska / desuka

Meaning / Usage

noun + ですか?
Very common gobi to form a question.

Examples

これはイカの刺身ですか? それとも消しゴムですか?
これはいかのさしみですか? それともけしごむですか?
Is this squid sashimi, or an eraser?

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
More examples on Twitter search (live) >>

Chart

Impolite ・・・★・ Polite
Informal ・・・★・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・★・ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・・★ Common

Audio

Related Gobi

ですか (without “?” )

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ですね

Pronunciation

desne / desune

Meaning /Usage

noun / adjective + ですね。
です +
Used when you want to express your opinion/feeling.
Very common gobi.

Examples

今年の夏は、ほんと暑いですね
ことしのなつは、ほんとあついですね
This summer is really hot.(isn’t it?)

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
More examples on Twitter search (live) >>

Chart

Impolite ・・・★・ Polite
Informal ・・・★・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・★・ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・・★ Common

Audio

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ですよね

Pronunciation

desyone / desuyone

Meaning /Usage

noun/adjective + ですよね。
formal version of だよね
Used when you agree with something, or express your opinion softly looking for agreement.

Examples

最近、日本の文化が海外で人気ですよね
さいきん、にほんのぶんかがかいがいでにんきですよね
(I think) Recently Japanese culture became very popular in foreign countries.

日本語の勉強、大変ですよね
にほんごのべんきょう、たいへんですよね
(I believe) Studying Japanese must be hard.

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
More examples on Twitter search (live) >>

Chart

Impolite ・・・★・ Polite
Informal ・・・★・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・・★ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・・★ Common

Audio

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どす

Pronunciation

dosu

Meaning / Usage

Same usage as です. Kyoto dialect.

Examples

うちは京都出身どす
うちはきょうとしゅっしんどす
I am from Kyoto.

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
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Chart

Impolite ・・・★・ Polite
Informal ・・・★・ Formal
Macho    ・・・★・ Cute
Written  ・・・★・ Spoken
Uncommon ・★・・・ Common

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ない?

Pronunciation

nai?

Meaning / Usage

“Don’t you …. ?”

“Do you?”

“ない?” literally means “not?” but is used very often as a normal question.

Examples

牛丼食べたくない?
ぎゅうどんたべたくない?
Do you wanna eat a beef bowl?

最近すごい暑くない?
さいきんすごいあつくない?
Don’t you think it’s been really hot lately?

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
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Chart

Impolite ・★・・・ Polite
Informal ・★・・・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・・★ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・・★ Common

Audio

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なう

Pronunciation

nau

Meaning /Usage

This is a very new word commonly used on Twitter.

Usually follows after a noun(behavior/activity) or a place, indicating the person is doing the activity or visiting the place at the moment. It became popular because this takes up only two characters.

Don’t get confused with normal verbs like おこなう、そこなう、etc.

Examples

成田空港なう
なりたくうこうなう
I’m in Narita Airport now.

高校の友達とすきやきなう
こうこうのともだちとすきやきなう。
I’m eating sukiyaki with my friends from high school now.

Chart

Impolite ・・★・・ Polite
Informal ★・・・・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ★・・・・ Spoken
Uncommon ・・★・・ Common

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なきゃ

Pronunciation

nakya

Meaning / Usage

“I must… ” “You must…”
Conversational version of なければならない
Same usage as ないと

Examples

明日までに宿題やんなきゃ
あしたまでにしゅくだいやんなきゃ
I have to finish the homework by tomorrow.

あの娘のこと好きなんでしょ? じゃあはっきり言わなきゃ
あのこのことすきなんでしょ? じゃあはっきりいわなきゃ
You like her, don’t you? Then you have to tell her so.

More examples on ALC dictionary >>
More examples on Twitter search (live) >>

Chart

Impolite ・・★・・ Polite
Informal ・★・・・ Formal
Macho    ・・★・・ Cute
Written  ・・・・★ Spoken
Uncommon ・・・★・ Common

Audio

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