Desu is used to say that something is, but when listening/watching to anime I sometimes hear them using the word *da*. Can you use the word da or I'm is my understanding incorrect?
Desu vs. Da

ashwinr
January 7, 2010

Sayaka-Matsuura
January 7, 2010
Konnichiwa Ashwinr-san,
You are entirely correct!! :P
*Desu*, the word which corresponds to the verb "to be" in English, and *Da* mean exactly the same thing. *Desu* is the formal version, while *Da* is more colloquial and familiar.
*Da* can sound quite rough and abrupt at times, and is used mostly by male speakers. As a matter of custom, Japanese women tend to speak more politely - even in quite informal situations, you'll hear women use
*"_something_-desu"* rather than *"_something_-da"*.
So, *Da* and *Desu* differ ONLY in the level of politeness, not meaning or tense. It can be used interchangeably.
-Sayaka :P

ashwinr
January 10, 2010
Domo arigato Sayake-san.

Sayaka-Matsuura
January 11, 2010
Do itashimashite! :P

Batou
February 27, 2010
Don't different regions of Japan use different copulas? I thought I've heard じゃ and や before instead of だ. Just curious.

Sayaka-Matsuura
March 1, 2010
Batou-san konnichiwa!
Yes, you are correct. The standard dialect (Tokyo) uses Desu/Da (formal/informal) but you will certainly hear different endings for different dialects.
For example, the Kansai dialect (spoken by people in Kyoto and Osaka area) - the standard copula *~da* is replaced by *~ya*, and similarly, *~datta* (past casual ta-form) becomes *~yatta*.
-Sayaka :P

CatPanda
March 1, 2010
[quo]*Quote from * Sayaka
Batou-san konnichiwa!
Yes, you are correct. The standard dialect (Tokyo) uses Desu/Da (formal/informal) but you will certainly hear different endings for different dialects.
For example, the Kansai dialect (spoken by people in Kyoto and Osaka area) - the standard copula *~da* is replaced by *~ya*, and similarly, *~datta* (past casual ta-form) becomes *~yatta*.
-Sayaka :P[/quo]
But wait wouldn't datta become confused with the expression Yatta! for "Alright!" or "I did it!"?

Sayaka-Matsuura
March 3, 2010
Derek-san,
I believe the Kansai-people know which YATTA it is within the context of the conversation. If it sounds like a trailing, such as, きれいやった (Kirei-yatta) - [standard Japanese: きれいだった] or だめやった (Dame-yatta) - [standard Japanese: だめだった] then it's not the YATTA for "hurray!!".
-Sayaka :P

CatPanda
March 4, 2010
[quo]*Quote from * Sayaka
Derek-san,
I believe the Kansai-people know which YATTA it is within the context of the conversation. If it sounds like a trailing, such as, きれいやった (Kirei-yatta) - [standard Japanese: きれいだった] or だめやった (Dame-yatta) - [standard Japanese: だめだった] then it's not the YATTA for "hurray!!".
-Sayaka :P[/quo]
さやか先生、
I figured so, but I thought it'd give you a good laugh if I asked anyways :lol: :P
それではまたね、
皇子山出礼句