This is the most basic polite sentence pattern in Japanese. It tells the listener what something is or how to describe it. X is the topic, marked by は (pronounced ‘wa’). Y is the description or identity. です is a polite ending like ‘is/am/are’. Key points: • は marks the topic: the thing you are talking about • です makes the sentence polite • The order is Topic → Description → です • This pattern is used for identity, job, nationality, and simple descriptions Think of は as saying “As for X…” and です as a polite “is.” For example, “私は学生です” means “As for me, (I) am a student.” You can replace X and Y with many nouns or adjectives. This makes it a flexible pattern for introductions and basic statements. Because Japanese often leaves out the subject, this pattern helps keep your sentence clear. Start with X (the topic), add Y (what it is), and finish with です to be polite. Once you are comfortable, you can also drop です in casual speech, but for beginners, always include it.