- Introduction
- 1. Sentence Structure: “N1 wa N2 janai desu”
- 2. More Polite Version: “dewa arimasen”
- 3. Key Vocabulary for Practice
- 4. Practice: Turn Positive into Negative
- 5. Practice Questions & Answers
- 6. Bonus Tip: Don’t Use “janai desu” with Verbs
- 7. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- 8. Conclusion: Start Saying What You’re Not!
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.”
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| わたし は にほんじん じゃないです。 | Watashi wa nihonjin janai desu. | I am not Japanese. |
| ひろきさん は ちゅうごくじん じゃないです。 | Hiroki-san wa chuugokujin janai desu. | Hiroki is not Chinese. |
| おかあさん は いしゃ じゃないです。 | Okaasan wa isha janai desu. | My mother is not a doctor. |
2. More Polite Version: “dewa arimasen”
For even more formal or polite situations, you can use:
N1 は N2 ではありません
(N1 wa N2 dewa arimasen)
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| わたし は べんごし ではありません。 | Watashi wa bengoshi dewa arimasen. | I am not a lawyer. |
💡 Use this version in emails, business settings, or speaking with someone older or more senior.
3. Key Vocabulary for Practice
| Word (日本語) | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| がくせい | gakusei | student |
| せんせい | sensei | teacher |
| いしゃ | isha | doctor |
| べんごし | bengoshi | lawyer |
| にほんじん | nihonjin | Japanese person |
| イギリスじん | igirisujin | British person |
| さんじゅっさい | sanju-ssai | 30 years old |
| メニュー | menyuu | menu |
| じしょ | jisho | dictionary |
| ペン | pen | pen |
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 メニュー です。
→ これは メニュー じゃないです。
(Kore wa menyuu janai desu.)
“This is not a menu.”
5. Practice Questions & Answers
Let’s practice how to respond negatively to a question.
Q: あなた は だいがくせい ですか？
(Are you a college student?)
A: 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.”
Q: トムさん は りゅうがくせい ですか？
(Is Tom an exchange student?)
A: いいえ、りゅうがくせい じゃないです。
(Iie, ryugakusei janai desu.)
“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
- QCan I just say “じゃない” without “です”？
- A
Yes, but only in casual speech.
- 彼は学生じゃない。 → He’s not a student.
- More polite: 学生じゃないです。
- Most polite: 学生ではありません。
- QWhat’s the difference between “じゃないです” and “ではありません”？
- A
They mean the same thing!
- じゃないです → Standard polite (everyday)
- ではありません → Formal polite (business, writing)
- QCan I use this with age or nationality?
- A
Absolutely!
- さんじゅっさい じゃないです。
- にほんじん じゃないです。
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
Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?
Our native Japanese instructors at gokigen japanese can help you perfect your pronunciation and learn real-life usage.
Whether you’re completely new to Japanese or looking to refine your skills, book a one-on-one session.
