LESSON 18
Is, Am and Are

Phrases
There is. (or We have got some.)	Arimas'.
There is some there. (or It is there. or We've got some there.)	Soko ni arimas'.
Somebody stays (there). (or Somebody is around. Some-body is alive. or There is some-body (there).	Imas'.
Who is here?	Dare koko ni imas' ka?
What is here?	Nani koko ni arimas' ka?
Is there anyone there? (or Are people staying?)	Hito imas' ka?
Do you have an older brother?	Nii-san arimas'/imas' ka?
Is your brother around? (or Is your brother alive?)	Nii-san imas' ka?
Where are you now?	Anata ima doko ni imas' ka?
Is it you (I am talking to)?	Anata des' ka?
Where is it (that you are at)?	Doko des' ka?

Practice
Tanaka: Moshi moshi.	Nakamura: Moshi moshi.
T: Sumimasen. Nakamura san des' ka?	N: Sōdes'. Dare des' ka?
T: Tanaka des'. Watashi—Tanaka.	N: Ah, sō des' ka. Ano ne Tanaka san.
T: Hā. ("yes," a brief way to say hai on the telephone)	N: Anata no uchi iki-mash'ta ga ne... ("but...")
T: Hā.	N: Rokuji desh'ta ga ...
T: Hā.	N: Anata imasen desh'ta ne.
T: Hā, Sō des'. Imasen desh'ta. Dōmo sumi-masen desh'ta.	N: Ima uchi des' ka? Ima uchi ni imas' ka?
T: Iie, chigaimas'. ("It's not like that—it's different.")	N: Doko ni imas' ka?
T: Ima ne...	N: Ha.
T: Uchi ni imasen ne, watashi.	N: Ha.
T: Ani no tokoro ("my brother's") ni imas'.	N: Ah, sō des' ka? Nii-san no uchi des' ka?
T: Hai, sore kara ne... ("and then...")	N: Ha.
T: Nii-san no hanashi desu ga ne... ("it is but...")	N: Hā.
T: Komban ii eiga ari-mas' ne.	N: So des' ka? Sore— doko des' ka? Sono eiga doko des' ka?
T: Ani no uchi no sugu soba ("right next to") des' Soba no eigakan des'.	N: Sō des' ka? Sono eiga ikimas' ka?
T: Ikimas'. Issho ni iki-masen ka?	N: Sō des' ne. Nan-ji deshō ka, sono eiga.
T: Hachi-ji han des'. Daijōbu des'. ("It's OK [—you've got plenty of time].") Ikimashō. Sono eiga mimashō.	N: Hai. Ikimas'. Matte kudasai ne.
T: Hai, dai-jōbu des'. Hayaku ne. Sayōnara.	N: Sayōnara. Shitsurei shimash'ta.

Tips

Notice the difference in meaning between arimas’ “there is,” “something or someone exists,” “we have something or someone,” imas’ “he is,” “someone is alive, is in a place, or stays in a place,” and ...des’ “it is (something),” “it equals (something).” In some cases, you could get by with any of the three, with only a slight difference of meaning. But often you will have to pick just one of the three to translate your English “is.” Choose arimas” if you can replace the “is” with “we’ve got” and still make some sense; with imas’ if you can replace “is” with “lives” or “stays”; with des’ if you can replace “is” with “equals” or “is the same as.” And notice that the English word “is” sometimes has the shapes “am,” “are,” “be”; the past (arimash’ta, imash’ta, or desh’ta) has the shapes “was” and “were” in English.

Tanaka: Hello.	Nakamura: Hello.
T: Excuse me. Is this Mr. Nakamura?	N: Yes, it is. Who is it?
T: It's Tanaka. I'm Tanaka.	N: Oh. Say Mr. Tanaka.
T: Yes.	N: I went to your house, but you know...
T: Uh-huh.	N: It was 6 o'clock but...
T: Uh-huh.	N: You weren't there.
T: Yeah, that's right. I wasn't there. I'm very sorry.	N: Are you at home now?
T: No, I'm not.	N: Where are you?
T: Right now, you see...	N: Uh-huh.
T: I'm not at home, you see...	N: Uh-huh.
T: I'm at my (older) brother's.	N: Oh, are you? It's your brother's house (you're at)?
T: Yes, and then, you see...	N: Yeah.
T: It is what my brother was saying but...	N: Uh-huh.
T: There's a good movie on tonight.	N: There is? Where is it? Where is the movie?
T: It's right next to my brother's house. It's the movie house right nearby.	N: It is? Are you going to that movie?
T: We are. Why don't we go together?	N: Well, let me think. What time would it be, that movie?
T: It's 8:30. You've plenty of time. Let's go. Let's take in that movie.	N: OK. I'm coming. Wait, won't you.
T: Yes, don't worry. Come quick, though. Goodbye.	N: Goodbye. I've been rude.