What does “da” mean in Japanese?
Honestly speaking, the Japanese auxiliary verb, “da”, doesn’t have any big impact on a meaning of a sentence. Certainly, we can use it to make a declarative sentence. Often, however, a sentence with this auxiliary verb has the same meaning as a sentence without it. So, Japanese native speakers tend to omit it especially in speaking. Furthermore, it does not change a degree of politeness of a sentence unlike its polite version, “desu”. Yet, this auxiliary verb is important. Especially its conjugations are significantly important, as they are highly related to na-adjectives’ conjugations. In this blog post, therefore, I will focus on its conjugations. I’m not going to explain the detail of Japanese da form. So, if you need that explanation, you should press the back button on your browser now. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “da”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “da”.
- da – だ : an auxiliary verb used after a noun, adverb, or particle to make a declarative sentence in Japanese.
Again, but this particle itself doesn’t have any big impact on a meaning of a sentence. Still, it is used to make declarative sentences mainly in formal writing. Let me explain how to use it through the example sentence below.
Example: how to use “da” in Japanese
kanojo wa tensai da – 彼女は天才だ (かのじょはてんさいだ)
She is a genius.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- kanojo – 彼女 (かのじょ) : a pronoun meaning ‘she’ in Japanese.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, it is used after “kanojo” to make the subject word in the sentence.
- tensai – 天才 (てんさい) : a noun meaning ‘genius’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of “da”. In this example, it is used after the noun, “tensai”, to make the declarative sentence. Unless in formal writing, however, we can just say “kanojo wa tensai” to mean the same thing.
I’ve explained the very basics of “da” and how to use it through the example sentence. Next, then, let me explain why “da” is important in the Japanese language.
Why is “da” so important?
The reason is very simple: conjugations of na-adjectives are basically subjected to those of the auxiliary verb, “da”.
In the Japanese language, every na-adjective consists of one noun and one conjugative suffix. Basically, the conjugations of this suffix can be considered the same as those of “da”. So, once we learn the conjugations of “da”, we can master those of na-adjectives. To tell the truth, there are exceptions. Even these exceptions are, however, used as if they are not, especially in speaking. Learning the conjugations of “da” is, therefore, very fruitful and beneficial for Japanese learners.
Conjugations of “da”
Then, let me explain the conjugations of “da”, one by one.
Daro
I think that this conjugation is well known as a part of “darou” which is used to express a possibility that something may happen or may be true. So, let me explain it together with the other part, “u”, as follows:
- daro – だろ : one conjugation of “da”. This can have the better connection with “u”.
- u – う : an auxiliary verb used to express a possibility that something may happen or may be true. This auxiliary very can also work to make a suggestion in a polite way.
This conjugation often works together with “u” to express a possibility that something may happen or may be true. In this regard, the role of the formed phrase, “darou”, is similar to that of English modal verb, “may”. To understand its usage, let me paraphrase the last example as follows:
kanojo wa tensai darou – 彼女は天才だろう (かのじょはてんさいだろう)
She may be a genius.
Since “darou” is used instead, this example sentence contains the nuance of “may”. When we want to mention a possibility that something may happen or may be true, this conjugation and this phrase are very useful.
Dat
I think that this conjugation is well known as a part of “datta” which is the past tense form of “da”. So, let me explain it together with the other part “ta” as follows:
- dat – だっ : one conjugation of “da”. This can have the better connection with “ta”.
- ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form.
“Dat” often works together with “ta” to make past-tensed declarative sentences. So, the formed phrase is often translated as “was” or “were”. Let me paraphrase the first example sentence with “datta” as follows:
kanojo wa tensai datta – 彼女は天才だった (かのじょはてんさいだった)
She was a genius.
When we want to make a past-tensed declarative sentence in Japanese, this conjugation and this phrase are very useful.
De
I think that this conjugation is well known as a part of “denai” which can work to make a negative declarative sentence. So, let me explain it together with the other part, “nai”, as follows:
- de – で : one conjugation of “da”. This can have the better connection with “nai”.
- nai – ない : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to deny its meaning.
“De” often works together with “nai” to make a negative declarative sentence. So, the formed phrase is often translated as “am not”, “are not”, or such. Let me paraphrase the first example sentence with “denai” as follows:
kanojo wa tensai denai – 彼女は天才でない (かのじょはてんさいでない)
She is not a genius.
When we want to make a negative declarative sentence in Japanese, this conjugation and this phrase are very useful.
Na
This is one exception: one difference between the auxiliary verb and the conjugative suffix. As a conjugation of “da”, it cannot precede a noun; as a conjugation of the conjugative suffix, it can. Today, however, Japanese people, especially young people, often use both in more or less the same way.
Then, let me explain how to use this conjugation before a noun to modify it.
kanojo wa tensai na hito da – 彼女は天才な人だ (かのじょはてんさいなひとだ)
She is an ingenious person.
Below is the new word used in the example sentence.
- hito – 人 (ひと) : a noun meaning ‘person’ in Japanese.
In this example, “na” is in between “tensai” and “hito”. The preceding phrase, “tensai na”, can work to modify the following noun, “hito”. So, “tensai na hito” has been translated as “an ingenious person”.
Nara
I think that this conjugation is well known as a part of “naraba” which can work make a conditional form of a declarative sentence. So, let me explain it together with the other part, “ba”, as follows:
- nara – なら : one conjugation of “da”. This can have the better connection with “ba”.
- ba – ば : a conjunctive particle used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its conditional form.
“Nara” often works together with “ba” to make a conditional form of a declarative sentence. So, the formed phrase is often translated as “if [blah blah]”. Let me explain how to use it through the example sentence below:
kanojo ga tensai naraba, kare mo mata tensai da – 彼女が天才ならば、彼もまた天才だ (かのじょがてんさいならば、かれもまたてんさいだ)
If she is a genius, he is also a genius.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, it is used after “kanojo” to make the subject word in the conditional clause.
- kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
- mo – も : a binding particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence with the nuance of ‘also’, ‘as well’, or ‘too’. In the example, this is used after “kare” to make the subject word in the second clause.
- mata – また : an adverb meaning ‘also’, ‘as well’, or ‘too’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of “naraba”. When we want to make a conditional form of a declarative sentence in Japanese, this conjugation and this phrase are very useful.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained the auxiliary verb, “da”, and its conjugations with the example sentences.
As I mentioned already, the conjugations of “da” are basically the same as those of the conjugative suffix of na-adjectives. This also means that a noun preceding a conjugation of “da” can be replaced by a noun part of a na-adjective. “Tensai” in each example sentence, therefore, can be replaced by, for example, “kirei” which is the noun part of the na-adjective, “kireina”. We don’t have to remember how to conjugate “kireina”. All we have to do is just take its noun part and connect it with a conjugation of “da”. This method can be applied to any na-adjective.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
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