JLPT N5 grammar · The Absolute Basics
~じゃありません: meaning, usage and examples
~じゃありません means: to not be / it is not (polite).
How to form it
＜Noun/な-adj＞ + じゃ(では)ありません
Examples
私は日本人じゃありません。
I'm not Japanese.
あれはえんぴつじゃありません。
That (over there) is not a pencil.
今日は休みじゃありません。
Today is not a day off.
この傘は私のじゃありません。
This umbrella is not mine.
When to use it
Use to politely deny or negate an identity or state. じゃ is spoken; では is more formal/written.
Nuance
ではありません is slightly more formal than じゃありません. In very formal contexts use ではありません.
Compare
じゃない is the plain/casual negative. Past negative: じゃありませんでした.
Tip: じゃ is a contraction of では. You'll see both in JLPT exams.
More in The Absolute Basics
- ~です: to be/ it is (polite)
- ~ですか: (indicates question: sentence end)
- はい/いいえ: yes/no
- そうです: (answer) it is/that's right
- こ/そ/あ/ど (demonstrative prefixes): こ: Something near to the speaker; そ: Something near to the listener; あ: Something far away from both speaker and listener; ど: Something the speaker doesn't see or know about.
- これ/それ/あれ/どれ: This, that, that one over there, which
- この/その/あの/どの [Noun]: this/that/that (over there)/which [Noun]
- ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ: Here, there, over there, where
Frequently asked questions
What does ~じゃありません mean?
To not be / it is not (polite). Example: 私は日本人じゃありません。 (I'm not Japanese.)
How do you form ~じゃありません?
＜Noun/な-adj＞ + じゃ(では)ありません. じゃ is a contraction of では. You'll see both in JLPT exams.