Page 233 - Basic Japanese

“I have a favor to ask,

but…”

If uttered with a firm intonation, with or without the

contraction, no desu makes the expression somewhat more
formal.

「毎日３時間は練習する 「はい。」
のです。いいですね。」 “Hai.”

“Mainichi san-jikan wa “Yes.”
renshū suru no desu.”

“You must practice (at
least) for three hours
every day. ”

「そんなことどこに書い 「ええと。」

てあるのですか。」 “Ēto.”
“Sonna koto doko ni kaite “Well…”

aru no desu ka.”
“Such a thing, where is
it written?”

Notice the use of the copula forms datta and na (= da).
Before the noun no, the plain imperfect copula appears in

the form na regardless of whether preceded by an ordinary

noun or an adjectival noun:

前はパートだったんですが，今は正社員なんです。

Mae wa pāto datta n desu ga, ima wa seishain na n desu.
I was a part-time worker but am a full-time
employee now.

父はデパートの地下が好きなんです。