The Desu Box

New Vocab :
Hon = book
Hai = yes
Iie = no

The Desu Box

In the last Japanese Language lesson we learned how to say something exists by using the word “desu”. In this lesson we are going to expand “desu” to be used in different tenses. For example, what if a book did exist or does not exist or did not exist? We can learn how to say those phrases by using the desu box shown below.




This box is easy to use. Just look at the far left column to determine if the object you are talking about is in the present or happened in the past. Then look at the top row to choose whether it does exist (positive) or does not exist (negative). Look down from the top row and to the right of the left column so the form of desu matches your tense and then add it to the end of a noun.

Noun desu. = Is noun.
Noun deshita. = Was noun.
Noun dewa arimasen. = Is not noun.
Noun dewa arimasen deshita. = Was not noun.

One pronunciation point to remember is that the ‘i’ is silent in the word deshita so it sounds like deshta.

Examples:
Hon desu = It is a book.
Hon deshita = It was a book.
Hon dewa arimasen = It is not a book.
Hon dewa arimasen deshita = It was not a book.

Using new vocabulary words learned above, if someone asks if it was you that did something, or is going to do something:

Hai, Watashi desu. = Yes, it is me.
Hai, Watashi deshita = Yes, it was me.
Iie, Watashi dewa arimasen = No, it is not me.
Iie, Watashi dewa arimasen deshita = No, it was not me.

Try the desu box out with other vocabulary words we introduced in the past lesson. Also, practice with objects around the room or when you are going someplace. If you do not know the Japanese word, just use the English word followed by the corresponding form of desu from the desu box. Do this out loud so you are actually speaking Japanese, not just thinking it. Have fun!