❌ Negative Form: ～じゃない and ～ではありません

Simple SentencesNegativesPractice

So far, you've learned how to say what something is using the basic structure AはBです, like in 「わたしはがくせいです」 ("I am a student"). But what if you want to say what something is not? That's where the negative forms ～じゃない and ～ではありません comes in!

Casual Versus Formal

As shown above, the negative form can be expressed in two ways:

1. Casual: ～じゃない

This is used in informal situations, like when talking to friends or family. For example, if you want to say "I am not a student" in a casual way, you would say 「わたしはがくせいじゃない」.

2. Formal: ～ではありません

This is used in more formal situations, like when speaking to someone you don't know well or in a professional setting. To say "I am not a student" formally, you would say 「わたしはがくせいではありません」.

✅ Example Sentences

AffirmativeCasualPoliteEnglish
がくせいです がくせいじゃない がくせいではありません I am a student. → I am not a student.
せんせいです せんせいじゃない せんせいではありません I am a teacher. → I am not a teacher.
いしゃです いしゃじゃない いしゃではありません I am a doctor. → I am not a doctor.
かいしゃいんです かいしゃいんじゃない かいしゃいんではありません I am a company employee. → I am not a company employee.

📝 Notes:

  • Both じゃない and ではありません are negative forms of です, but they differ in formality.
  • The structure remains the same: AはBじゃない or AはBではありません.
  • At this level, you'll often use じゃない, but it's helpful to recognize the formal version when you hear or read it.
Question 1

Which of the following is the casual way to say "I am not a student"?

Simple SentencesPractice