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Learn Japanese: da - to be

Japanese
/The Plain Form I: Present Tense Affirmative
/da

da

Word

だda

Meaning

to be

Part of speech

verb

Pronunciation

Course

Lesson

The Plain Form I: Present Tense Affirmative

Breakdown & Usages Conjugations

Usages of da

私わたし　の　一いち番ばん　好すきな　花はな　の　種しゅ類るい　は　ラン　だ。watashi no ichiban sukina hana no shurui wa ran da.

My favorite type of flower is the orchid.

何なにか　変へん　だ　よ。nanika hen da yo.

Something is strange.

分わからない　けど、　好すき　だ　よ！wakaranai kedo, suki da yo!

Although (I) don't understand it, (I) like it!

Nihon-shiki romanizationwatasi ha tyuugoku kara kimasita

Hepburn romanizationwatashi wa chuugoku kara kimashita

メアリー　さん　は　とても　好すき　だった。mearii san wa totemo suki datta.

Mary liked it very much.

彼かれ　は　空そら　が　青あおい　だ　と　言いった。kare wa sora ga aoi da to itta.

He said the sky was blue.

青あお　が　好すき　だ。ao ga suki da.

冬ふゆ　より　夏なつ　が　好すき　だ。fuyu yori natsu ga suki da.

(I) like summer better than winter.

https://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/show/154884

山やま田だ　先せん生せい　は　短みじかい　スカート　が　好すき　だ。yamada sensei wa mijikai sukaato ga suki da.

(Teacher) Yamada likes short skirts.

メアリー　は、　好すき　だ。mearii wa, suki da.

As for Mary, I like her.

May imply there's someone else I don't like.

図と書しょ館かん　で　勉べん強きょうするの　が　嫌きらい　だ。toshokan de benkyousuruno ga kirai da.

I don't like studying in the library.

頭あたま　が　いい　ので　勉べん強きょうするの　が　上じょう手ず　だ。atama ga ii node benkyousuruno ga jouzu da.

(He)'s clever, so he's good at studying.

私わたしたち　は　夏なつ休やすみ　に　京きょう都と　に　行いく　つもり　だ。watashitachi wa natsuyasumi ni kyouto ni iku tsumori da.

We're planning to go to Kyoto in the summer vacation.

今きょ日う　は　日に本ほん語ご　を　勉べん強きょうする　つもり　だった。kyou wa nihongo o benkyousuru tsumori datta.

I was planning to study Japanese today...

雨あめ　だった　ので　傘かさ　を　買かいました。ame datta node kasa o kaimashita.

It was raining so I bought an umbrella.

今きょ日う　は　火か曜よう日び　だ　と　思おもいます。kyou wa kayoubi da to omoimasu.

I think today is Tuesday.

見みた　だけ　だ。mita dake da.

(I) only saw (him).

Here the speaker is emphasizing that they merely saw the person, implying no further interaction.

八はち月がつ　は　六ろく月がつ　より　暑あつい。hachigatsu wa rokugatsu yori atsui.

August is hotter than June.

寒さむい　より　暑あつい　方ほう　が　好すき　だ。samui yori atsui hou ga suki da.

I like hot (weather) more than the cold.

「夏なつ　と　冬ふゆ、　どちら　の　方ほう　が　好すき　か。」　「夏なつ　の　方ほう　が　冬ふゆ　より　好すき　だ。」「natsu to fuyu, dochira no hou ga suki ka.」「natsu no hou ga fuyu yori suki da.」

A: Which do you like more, summer or winter? B: I like summer more than winter.

予よ定てい　だった　んです。yotei datta ndesu.

(It's because) it was the plan.

新あたらしい　仕し事ごと　は　楽たのしかったり、　面おも白しろかったり　だ。atarashii shigoto wa tanoshikattari, omoshirokattari da.

My new job is fun and interesting (etc.).

彼かの女じょ　は　いつも　元げん気き　だったり、　優やさしかったり　だ。kanojo wa itsumo genki dattari, yasashikattari da.

She's always cheerful and kind (etc.).

「晩ばんご飯はん　は　なに　が　ある？」　「オムライス　と　サラダ　と　それから　ケーキ　だ。」「bangohan wa nani ga aru?」「omuraisu to sarada to sorekara keeki da.」

A: What’s for dinner? B: Omurice and salad and then cake.

ロボット　だ　から、　食たべません。robotto da kara, tabemasen.

It doesn't eat, because it's a robot.

ロボット　だ　から、　食たべない。robotto da kara, tabenai.

It doesn't eat, because it's a robot.

静しずか　だ　から、　図と書しょ館かん　で　勉べん強きょうするの　が　好すき　です。shizuka da kara, toshokan de benkyousuruno ga suki desu.

Because it is quiet, she likes studying in the library.

彼かの女じょ　は　静しずかな　だけ　だ。kanojo wa shizukana dake da.

She is just quiet.

This sentence suggests that the only prominent characteristic of the woman is her quietness.

彼かれ　の　趣しゅ味み　は　読どく書しょ　だったり、　料りょう理り　だったり　です。kare no shumi wa dokusho dattari, ryouri dattari desu.

His hobbies include things like reading and cooking.

趣しゅ味み　は　ハイキング　だったり、　旅りょ行こう　だったり　です。shumi wa haikingu dattari, ryokou dattari desu.

(My) hobbies are (things like) hiking and traveling.

今こん夜や　アルコール　を　飲のんじゃ　ダメ　だ。konya arukooru o nonja dame da.

You must not drink alcohol tonight.

昨き日のう　は　晴はれ　だった。kinou wa hare datta.

It was clear weather yesterday.

こっち　は　妹いもうと　だ。kotchi wa imouto da.

This is my younger sister.

彼かの女じょ　の　父ちち親おや　は　有ゆう名めいな　画が家か　だ。kanojo no chichioya wa yuumeina gaka da.

Her father is a famous painter.

彼かれ　は　年とし　を　取とって　いる　が、　まだ　元げん気き　だ。kare wa toshi o totte iru ga, mada genki da.

He is old, but still energetic.

大だい丈じょう夫ぶ　だ。daijoubu da.

That's alright.

明あし日た　は　テスト　が　ある　から、　今こん晩ばん　勉べん強きょうしなくて　は　ダメ　だ。ashita wa tesuto ga aru kara, konban benkyoushinakute wa dame da.

I have a test tomorrow, so I have to study tonight.

この　時と計けい　の　作つくり　は　簡かん単たん　だ。kono tokei no tsukuri wa kantan da.

This clock's build is simple.

その　ケーキ　の　作つくり　は　上じょう手ず　だ。sono keeki no tsukuri wa jouzu da.

The making of that cake is skillful.

彼かの女じょ　は　メイク　が　上じょう手ず　だ。kanojo wa meiku ga jouzu da.

She is good at doing makeup.

横よこ　の　部へ屋や　は　とても　静しずか　だ。yoko no heya wa totemo shizuka da.

The room next door is very quiet.

子こ供ども　に　は　危あぶない　遊あそび　だ。kodomo ni wa abunai asobi da.

It's a dangerous game for children.

その　遊あそび　は　子こ供どもたち　に　大だい人にん気き　だ。sono asobi wa kodomotachi ni daininki da.

That game is very popular among the children.

問もん題だい　ない、　大だい丈じょう夫ぶ　だ　よ。mondai nai, daijoubu da yo.

No problem, it's okay.

それ　は　私わたしたち　の　間あいだ　の　大おおきな　問もん題だい　だった。sore wa watashitachi no aida no ookina mondai datta.

That was a big problem between us.

この　テーブル　は　とても　丈じょう夫ぶ　だ。kono teeburu wa totemo joubu da.

This table is very sturdy.

雨あめ　だ　から、　出でかけなくて　も　いい。ame da kara, dekakenakute mo ii.

Since it's raining, I don't have to go out.

きれい　だ　なあ。kirei da naa.

It's so beautiful.

なあ is used here to express emotional emphasis

難むずかしい　問もん題だい　だ　なあ。muzukashii mondai da naa.

It's a difficult problem.

なあ is used here to express reflection or thoughtfulness

もう　大だい丈じょう夫ぶ　だ　なあ。mou daijoubu da naa.

It's all right now, I guess.

なあ is used here to express a soft, reflective assertion

彼かれ　は　信しん頼らい　できる　人ひと　だ　なあ。kare wa shinrai dekiru hito da naa.

He's a trustworthy person, I'd say.

なあ is used here to express a soft, reflective assertion

暇ひま　だったら、　ゲーム　を　しません　か。hima dattara, geemu o shimasen ka.

If you’re free, shall we (not) play a game?

安あん全ぜん　だったら、　ここ　で　泳およぎます。anzen dattara, koko de oyogimasu.

If it’s safe, I will swim here.

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