Let's discuss the minimum grammar to create sentences like "(Something or someone) is X" using the words we have seen so far. We can do this by using the noun sentence structure [X + です] where X is any noun. The word です at the end of this sentence is called the copula (similar to the English "be" verb). It follows the noun. The subject of this sentence is not needed if it is understood from the conext. たなかです can mean "I am Tanaka" or "He/She is Tanaka" or "It is Tanaka/They are Tanakas" depending on the context.

	Noun	です。
	たなか	です。	(Someone) is Tanaka.

A statement can be made into a question by adding the sentence particle か with a rising intonation () at the end. It is important to put a title (さん, せんせい, etc.) to refer to other people's name. The question sounds very rude without the title. (Caution: Do not put さん to your own name!)

	Noun	です	か。	Is it N?
	たなかせんせい	です	か。	Are you Prof. Tanaka?
	けいこさん	です	か。	Are you Keiko?

To reply affirmatively, use ええ or はい. Both はい and ええ are a polite "yes."

	ええ or はい	Noun	です。	Yes, it is N.
	ええ (or はい)、	けいこ	です。	Yes, I'm Keiko.

To reply negatively to a Yes-No question, いいえ ("No") can be used.

	A:	せんせいですか。	Are you a teacher? Is he/she a teacher?
	B:	いいえ。	No.