な形容詞 (Na-adjectives) – Basic Forms with です in Japanese [JLPT N5]

Quick Summary

• Meaning: な形容詞 (na-adjectives) are adjectives that describe what something or someone is like, similar to “quiet,” “famous,” or “strange” in English.
• How to Use: Use the dictionary form na-adj before nouns with na-adj-な + N, and use na-adj by itself before です (desu, to be) to make simple sentences.

Example:

• 私の猫は有名です。
• Watashi no neko wa yuumei desu.
• My cat is famous.

Overview

In Japanese, there are two main kinds of adjectives: i-adjectives and na-adjectives (な形容詞). Both describe people, things, places, and situations, but they change (conjugate) in different ways.

Na-adjectives are words like 有名 (yuumei, famous), きれい (kirei, pretty/clean), 元気 (genki, healthy/energetic), or 便利 (benri, convenient). They are used to say what something is, what it is not, and to talk about the past and politeness with です (desu).

Na-adjectives are called “na-adjectives” because when they come directly before a noun, they usually need the particle-like sound な between the adjective and the noun. For example, 有名な歌手 (yuumei na kashu, a famous singer). When they are at the end of the sentence before です (desu), they do not use な: 猫は有名です (neko wa yuumei desu, the cat is famous).

In this article, we will focus on the most basic and most useful part for beginners:

• How to use na-adjectives with です (desu) in the present (is / is not)
• How to use them in the past (was / was not)

We will not cover every possible advanced form yet. The goal here is to make you comfortable saying simple, correct sentences like:

• この本は便利です。
• Kono hon wa benri desu.
• This book is convenient.

Structure / Formation

Basic Patterns

Here are the core patterns you will use with na-adjectives at the N5 level:

• na-adj + です (present, polite, affirmative)
• na-adj + じゃないです (present, polite, negative – very common in speech)
• na-adj + でした (past, polite, affirmative)
• na-adj + じゃなかったです (past, polite, negative – very common in speech)
• na-adj-な + N (na-adjective directly before a noun)

Here, na-adj is the dictionary form of the na-adjective, for example:

• 有名 (yuumei, famous)
• 静か (shizuka, quiet)
• 元気 (genki, healthy; energetic)
• 便利 (benri, convenient)

Na-adjectives as Predicates (A is B)

When you want to say “A is ~” with a na-adjective, the structure is:

• N + は + na-adj + です

For example:

• このロボットは便利です。
• Kono robotto wa benri desu.
• This robot is convenient.

• おじいさんは元気です。
• Ojiisan wa genki desu.
• Grandpa is energetic.

Notice that there is no な before です. We only use な when the adjective directly comes before a noun.

Na-adjectives Before Nouns (Attributive Use)

When a na-adjective comes directly before a noun, you add な between them:

• na-adj-な + N

Examples:

• 有名な先生
• Yuumei na sensei
• a famous teacher

• 静かな図書館
• Shizuka na toshokan
• a quiet library

In a full sentence, this looks like:

• 有名な先生はロックバンドにいます。
• Yuumei na sensei wa rokkubando ni imasu.
• The famous teacher is in a rock band.

Present Tense: Affirmative and Negative

The most common polite forms you need first are:

Meaning	Pattern	Example (with 元気)
is ~ (present, polite)	na-adj + です	元気です (genki desu, is energetic)
is not ~ (present, polite)	na-adj + じゃないです	元気じゃないです (genki ja nai desu, is not energetic)

Example sentences:

• 私の犬は元気です。
• Watashi no inu wa genki desu.
• My dog is energetic.

• 今日のロボットは元気じゃないです。
• Kyou no robotto wa genki ja nai desu.
• Today’s robot is not energetic.

You will also see ではないです (dewa nai desu) instead of じゃないです (ja nai desu). ではないです is a bit more formal or careful, but じゃないです is very common and natural in everyday speech. For beginners, focusing on じゃないです is enough.

Past Tense: Affirmative and Negative

To talk about the past (was / was not), you change です (desu) to でした (deshita) and じゃないです (ja nai desu) to じゃなかったです (ja nakatta desu).

Meaning	Pattern	Example (with 静か)
was ~ (past, polite)	na-adj + でした	静かでした (shizuka deshita, was quiet)
was not ~ (past, polite)	na-adj + じゃなかったです	静かじゃなかったです (shizuka ja nakatta desu, was not quiet)

Example sentences:

• 昨日のパーティーは静かでした。
• Kinou no paatii wa shizuka deshita.
• Yesterday’s party was quiet.

• 先週の図書館は静かじゃなかったです。
• Senshuu no toshokan wa shizuka ja nakatta desu.
• The library last week was not quiet.

Quick Conjugation Table (Na-adj + です Patterns)

Here is a compact summary using 有名 (yuumei, famous):

Form	Pattern	Example with 有名	English
Present affirmative	na-adj + です	有名です (yuumei desu)	is famous
Present negative	na-adj + じゃないです	有名じゃないです (yuumei ja nai desu)	is not famous
Past affirmative	na-adj + でした	有名でした (yuumei deshita)	was famous
Past negative	na-adj + じゃなかったです	有名じゃなかったです (yuumei ja nakatta desu)	was not famous
Before noun	na-adj-な + N	有名な歌手 (yuumei na kashu)	a famous singer

Example in a sentence:

• この有名な歌手は先生じゃないです。
• Kono yuumei na kashu wa sensei ja nai desu.
• This famous singer is not a teacher.

Usage Tips for Beginners

Here are two simple but important points to remember:

• When a na-adjective is before a noun: use na-adj-な + N
  有名な人 (yuumei na hito, a famous person)
• When a na-adjective is at the end of the sentence with です: use na-adj + です (no な)
  その人は有名です (Sono hito wa yuumei desu, that person is famous)

If you are not sure whether a new adjective is an i-adjective or a na-adjective, look at how it appears in example sentences in your textbook or dictionary. Over time, your brain will start to feel which pattern is natural.

Example Sentences

• この町は静かですけど、夜のロボットは元気です。
• Kono machi wa shizuka desu kedo, yoru no robotto wa genki desu.
• This town is quiet, but the night-time robots are energetic.

• あのタコは先生じゃないです。でも、とても親切なタコです。
• Ano tako wa sensei ja nai desu. Demo, totemo shinsetsu na tako desu.
• That octopus is not a teacher. But it is a very kind octopus.

• 昨日のテストは簡単でしたが、私のコンピューターは元気じゃなかったです。
• Kinou no tesuto wa kantan deshita ga, watashi no konpyuutaa wa genki ja nakatta desu.
• Yesterday’s test was easy, but my computer was not energetic.

• あの有名な犬は静かなアイドルです。
• Ano yuumei na inu wa shizuka na aidoru desu.
• That famous dog is a quiet idol.

• この便利なほうきは車でした。でも、今は車じゃないです。
• Kono benri na houki wa kuruma deshita. Demo, ima wa kuruma ja nai desu.
• This convenient broom was a car. But now, it is not a car.

Quick Practice

(Answers and explanations are right under this section.)

Multiple-Choice

1. Choose the correct present polite sentence: “This alien is energetic.”

• A. このエイリアンは元気なです。(Kono eirian wa genki na desu.)
• B. このエイリアンは元気です。(Kono eirian wa genki desu.)
• C. このエイリアンは元気とです。(Kono eirian wa genki to desu.)
• D. このエイリアンは元気なエイリアンです。(Kono eirian wa genki na eirian desu.)

2. Choose the correct sentence that means “That famous robot is not a teacher.”

• A. あの有名なロボットは先生じゃないです。(Ano yuumei na robotto wa sensei ja nai desu.)
• B. あの有名ロボットは先生なじゃないです。(Ano yuumei robotto wa sensei na ja nai desu.)
• C. あの有名なロボットは先生やないです。(Ano yuumei na robotto wa sensei ya nai desu.)
• D. あの有名なロボットは先生ですじゃない。(Ano yuumei na robotto wa sensei desu ja nai.)

3. Choose the correct past polite sentence: “Yesterday, the library was quiet.”

• A. 昨日、図書館は静かです。(Kinou, toshokan wa shizuka desu.)
• B. 昨日、図書館は静かでした。(Kinou, toshokan wa shizuka deshita.)
• C. 昨日、図書館は静かじゃないです。(Kinou, toshokan wa shizuka ja nai desu.)
• D. 昨日、図書館は静かなでした。(Kinou, toshokan wa shizuka na deshita.)

4. Choose the correct sentence with a na-adjective before a noun: “a convenient broom.”

• A. 便利のほうき (Benri no houki)
• B. 便利なほうき (Benri na houki)
• C. 便利やほうき (Benri ya houki)
• D. 便利とほうき (Benri to houki)

5. Choose the correct sentence: “My grandpa was not energetic last week.”

• A. 先週、おじいさんは元気じゃなかったです。(Senshuu, ojiisan wa genki ja nakatta desu.)
• B. 先週、おじいさんは元気でしたないです。(Senshuu, ojiisan wa genki deshita nai desu.)
• C. 先週、おじいさんは元気じゃないでした。(Senshuu, ojiisan wa genki ja nai deshita.)
• D. 先週、おじいさんは元気でもなかったです。(Senshuu, ojiisan wa genki demo nakatta desu.)

Spot-the-Error

6. One of these sentences has a mistake with a na-adjective before a noun. Which sentence is incorrect?

• A. 変なロボットは先生です。(Hen na robotto wa sensei desu.)
• B. 元気な猫は新聞を読みます。(Genki na neko wa shinbun o yomimasu.)
• C. 有名先生はピザを作ります。(Yuumei sensei wa piza o tsukurimasu.)

7. One of these sentences has a mistake with present vs. past na-adjective + です. Which sentence is incorrect?

• A. 今日のテストは簡単です。(Kyou no tesuto wa kantan desu.)
• B. 昨日のテストは簡単じゃないです。(Kinou no tesuto wa kantan ja nai desu.)
• C. 昨日の映画は静かなでした。(Kinou no eiga wa shizuka na deshita.)

Translation

8. Translate into Japanese using a na-adjective + です: “This town is quiet, but the station is not quiet.”

9. Translate into Japanese using a past na-adjective + です: “Last year, that dog was famous.”

10. Translate into Japanese using na-adjective + な before a noun: “She is a kind teacher.”

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Answers and Explanations

1. このエイリアンは元気です。(Kono eirian wa genki desu.) — For a simple “A is ~” sentence with a na-adjective, use “na-adj + です” with no な before です.
2. あの有名なロボットは先生じゃないです。(Ano yuumei na robotto wa sensei ja nai desu.) — Use “na-adj-な + N” before the noun and “じゃないです” for the present polite negative.
3. 昨日、図書館は静かでした。(Kinou, toshokan wa shizuka deshita.) — For past polite with a na-adjective, change です to でした.
4. 便利なほうき (Benri na houki) — Before a noun, na-adjectives take な: “na-adj-な + N.”
5. 先週、おじいさんは元気じゃなかったです。(Senshuu, ojiisan wa genki ja nakatta desu.) — For past polite negative, use “na-adj + じゃなかったです.”
6. 有名先生はピザを作ります。(Yuumei sensei wa piza o tsukurimasu.) — 有名 is a na-adjective, so before a noun it must be 有名な先生; the other two sentences use na-adjectives correctly.
7. 昨日の映画は静かなでした。(Kinou no eiga wa shizuka na deshita.) — After a na-adjective at the end of the sentence, use でした, not なでした, so it should be 静かでした.
8. この町は静かですけど、駅は静かじゃないです。(Kono machi wa shizuka desu kedo, eki wa shizuka ja nai desu.) — Use “na-adj + です” for “is quiet” and “na-adj + じゃないです” for “is not quiet,” joined with けど.
9. 去年、あの犬は有名でした。(Kyonen, ano inu wa yuumei deshita.) — For “was famous,” use the past polite form “有名でした.”
10. 彼女は親切な先生です。(Kanojo wa shinsetsu na sensei desu.) — Use “親切な先生” with な before the noun and です to say “She is a kind teacher.”