👩🏷️🎓❓

How to Say ‘Are you a student, Ms. Tanaka?’ in Japanese

田中さんは学生ですか。

tanaka san wa gakusei desu ka

[tah-nah-kah san wah gahk-SEH-ee dess ka]

💬 Usage Tip: は here is said (wa), not (ha). It marks who the sentence is about, so 田中さんは means "as for Ms. Tanaka".

Phrase Breakdown

田中さんは

tanaka san wa

Ms./Mr. Tanaka (as for)

さん (san) is a polite title. The topic particle は is written 'ha' but pronounced 'wa': 'Tanaka-san wa'.

Example

田中さんは先生です。

Mr. Tanaka is a teacher.

Words in this phrase

田中

tanaka

[tah-nah-kah]

Tanaka (name)

Part of the school name being stated clearly on the phone.

Example

田中小学校です。

This is Tanaka Elementary School.

さん

san

[san]

Mr.; Ms.; polite suffix

A polite suffix added to a person's name or role.

Example

お医者さんが来ました。

The doctor came.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

学生ですか。

gakusei desu ka

are (you) a student?

Polite question form. Raise your pitch slightly on the final か (ka).

Example

妹さんは学生ですか。

Is your younger sister a student?

Words in this phrase

学生

gakusei

[gahk-SEH-ee]

student

A person who studies at a school or university.

Example

弟は学生です。

My younger brother is a student.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

か

[ka]

question particle

Used at the end of sentences to make a question.

Example

これは何ですか？

What is this?

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