<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='685'>本（ほん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='740'>水（みず）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='511'>家（いえ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='429'>同（おな）じ</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='849'>私（わたし）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='791'>猫（ねこ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='507'>学生（がくせい）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='882'>綺麗（きれい）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='755'>海（うみ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='645'>映画（えいが）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='716' data-vocab-id='492'>好（す）き</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='474'>大変（たいへん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='977'>質問（しつもん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'><strong>だ</strong></span>。

Declaring something is so and so using 「だ」

<div class='writeup-body'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span> is an <span class='info-highlight' data-term='助動詞・じょどうし'>auxiliary verb</span> in Japanese that acts as an expression of determination, or strong assertion. It simply states that something 'is' a certain way. It is a casual equivalent of <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span> (another <span class='info-highlight' data-term='助動詞・じょどうし'>auxiliary verb</span>).<br><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span> should always be attached to the end of nouns, or words that can behave like nouns, such as <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='28'>な-Adjectives</span>.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>アイスクリーム<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>。(Noun + <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>)</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is ice cream.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>お寺（てら）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>。(Noun + <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>)</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is a temple.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>危険（きけん）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>。(<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='28'>な-Adj</span> + <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>)</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is dangerous.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>大切（たいせつ）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>。(<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='28'>な-Adj</span> + <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>)</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is important.</div></li></ul><div class='writeup-caution'><div class='caution-header'>Caution</div><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span> should never be attached to the end of <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='24'>い-Adjectives</span>. In these cases, it is considered more correct to attach a polite equivalent, like <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>大（おお）きい<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is big. (Unnatural in Japanese)</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>大（おお）きい<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It is big. (Natural in Japanese)</div></li></ul></div><div class='writeup-caution'><div class='caution-header'>Caution</div>While <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span> is often thought of as the casual 'form' of <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>, that is actually not correct. <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span> is a <span class='info-highlight' data-term='丁寧語・ていねいご'>polite speech</span> word. The official 'formal version' of <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span> is <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='436'>である</span>. We will learn this grammar point a bit later. <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='436'>である</span> can often be seen in articles, and formal writing, while <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span> is more common in <span class='info-highlight' data-term='丁寧語・ていねいご'>polite speech</span>.</div></div>

Grammar Info

だ

To be, Is