How to Say “Is Not” in Japanese: Master “N1 wa N2 janai desu”

Introduction

Once you learn how to say “This is…” in Japanese (N1 wa N2 desu), your next step is learning how to say the opposite — “This is NOT…”

In Japanese, the phrase for “is not” is:
N1 は N2 じゃないです
(N1 wa N2 janai desu)

In this guide, you’ll learn:
✔ How to say someone or something is NOT something
✔ How to pronounce and structure negative sentences
✔ When to use the polite version
✔ Useful examples and practice exercises

Let’s dive into some polite negation!

1. Sentence Structure: “N1 wa N2 janai desu”

Structure

N1 は N2 じゃないです
→ “N1 is not N2.”

This structure is the negative form of “N1 wa N2 desu.”

2. More Polite Version: “ja arimasen / dewa arimasen”

For even more formal or polite situations, you can use:
N1 は N2 じゃありません or N1 は N2 ではありません
(N1 wa N2 ja arimasen / N1 wa N2 dewa arimasen)

💡 Use this version in emails, business settings, or speaking with someone older or more senior.

3. Key Vocabulary for Practice

4. Practice: Turn Positive into Negative

Try turning these sentences into their negative form using じゃないです.

Examples:

ポールさん は べんごし です。
→ ポールさん は べんごし じゃないです。
(Paul-san wa bengoshi janai desu.)
“Paul is not a lawyer.”

これは じしょ です。
→ これは じしょ じゃないです。
(Kore wa jisho janai desu.)
“This is not a dictionary.”

5. Practice Questions & Answers

Let’s practice how to respond negatively to a question.

Situation 1:

Ken

あなた は だいがくせい ですか。
(Anata wa daigakusei desuka.)
Are you a college student?

Yumi

いいえ、だいがくせい じゃないです。
(Iie, daigakusei janai desu.)
No, I’m not a college student.

Situation 2:

Yumi

トムさん は りゅうがくせい ですか。
(Tomusan wa ryugakusei desuka.)
Is Tom an exchange student?

Ken

いいえ、かれは りゅうがくせい じゃ ありません。
(Iie, kare wa ryugakusei ja arimasen.)
No, he is not an exchange student.

6. Bonus Tip: Don’t Use “janai desu” with Verbs

じゃないです is used to negate nouns or adjectives, not verbs.

❌ わたし は たべる じゃないです。 (Incorrect!)
✅ わたし は たべません。 (Correct → I do not eat.)

We’ll learn verb negation in a later lesson — stay tuned!

7. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

8. Conclusion: Start Saying What You’re Not!

Knowing how to say what something is not is just as important as saying what it is. With “N1 wa N2 janai desu”, you now have the power to:

✅ Correct misunderstandings
✅ Politely decline
✅ Speak more naturally and accurately in Japanese