LESSON 27
Is It or Isn’t It?

Phrases
Is it a sushi shop?		Sushi-ya des' ka?
It is.		Sō des'.
It isn't		Sō ja arimasen.
It's something different (from that).		Chigaimas'.
It isn't a sushi shop.		Sushi-ya ja arimasen.
It is a noodle shop.		Soba-ya des'.
Did you say it is a sushi shop?		Sushi-ya da to iimash'ta ka? Suslii-ya da-tte? Suslii-ya des'-tte?
He said it isn't.		Sō ja nai to iimash'ta ne. Sō ja nai-tte ne. Cliigau to iimash'ta ne. Chigau-tte ne.
Was it American food (you had) last night?		Yūbe yōshoku desh'ta ka?
It was.		Sō desh'ta.
It wasn't.		Sō ja arimasen desh'ta.
It was something different.		Chigaimash'ta.
Did you say it was American food?		Yōshoku datta to iimash'ta ka? Yōshoku datta-tte? Yōshoku desh'ta-tte?
He said it was.		So datta to iimash'ta. Sō datta-tte. Sō desh'ta-tte.
He said it wasn't.		Sō ja nakatta to ii-mash'ta. Sō ja nakatta-tte. Sō ja arimasen desh' ta-tte. Chigatta-tte. Chigaimash'ta-tte.
Is it probably Japanese food?		Washoku deshō ka?
Did you say it is probably Japanese food?		Washoku darō to ii- mash'ta ka? Washoku daro¯-tte? Washoku deshō-tte?

Practice
Yamamoto: Komban doko de tabemashō ka?	Tanaka: Sō des' ne. Nakamura-ya to yū (=to iimas' "named") tokoro e ikō to omotte imash'ta ga ne.
Y: Nakamuraya-tte?	AT: Sō des'. Hi Comoro da to, tomodachi ga itte imash'ta ne. Sono tomodachi wa yūbe boko de tabeta-tte.
Y: Sō des' ka? Soko no tabemono wa yōshoku desh'ta-tte?	T: Iie, sō ja arimasen. Washoku da-tte. Washoku da to itte imash'ta ga, anata washoku s'ki deshō?
Y: Mada tabetemasen desh'ta.	T: Mada tabetenai-tte? Ē, komban washoku tabete kudasai ne.
Y: Hā, dōmo arigatō, Tanaka san. Tanaka san, dōmo arigatō.	T: Dō itashimash'te.
Y: Nakamura-ya to yū tokoro wa doko ka to kikimash'ta ka, tomodachi ni?	T: Hai, kikimash'ta. Eki no soba da-tte. Eki o deru-tte ne (=demas' "come out of'). Sore kara migi des'-tte. Sugu wakaru (=wakarimas' "under-stand [where it is]") to i-tte imash'ta ne.
Y: Densha de ikimas' ka?	T: Chigaimas'.
Y: Chigaimas'-tte? Nan de ikimas' ka?	T: Chikatetsu ("subway") des'.

Tips

The negative form of des’ is a phrase: ja arimasen “it isn’t.” The plain past is datta (= desh’ta “was”), the present da (= des’ “is”), and the suggestion form darō (= deshō “probably is”). The plain negatives are ja nakatta (= ja arimasen desh’ta “wasn’t), ja nai (= ja arimasen “isn’t”), and ja nai darō (= ja arimasen deshō “probably isn’t”. The word nai is the plain form of arimasen “there isn’t any”; its past is nakatta (= arimasen desh’-ta “there wasn’t any”), and the suggestion form is nai darō (= arimasen deshō) “there probably isn’t any.”

Yamamoto: Where shall we eat?	Tanaka: Let's see. I was thinking of going to a place called Nakamura-ya.
Y: You say Nakamura-ya?	T: That's right. A friend was saying it's a good place. He said he ate there last night.
Y: Oh? Did he say the food there was American?	T: No, he didn't. He said it was Japanese. He was saying it is Japanese— would you like Japanese food?
Y: I haven't eaten any yet. ("Yamamoto" must be an alias!)	T: You say you haven't eaten any yet? Well, eat some tonight, Japanese food.
Y: Well, thank you very much, I will, Mr. Tanaka. Thank you very much, Mr. Tanaka.	T: Not at all.
Y: Did you ask where the place called Nakamura-ya is located? (Did you ask) your friend?	T: Yes, I asked. He says it's near the station. He says when you come out of the station, see. Then it's to the right, he says. He was saying we'll find it right away.
Y: Are we going by train?	T: No.
Y: You say no? What are we going by?	T: It's the subway.