"Desu" (です) is a Japanese grammatical copula, acting like the English "to be" (is, am, are) to link subjects with descriptions, but it primarily adds a polite, formal tone to sentences, functioning almost like a polite period, indicating a polite sentence conclusion rather than a concrete meaning, especially with adjectives where its function is purely for politeness.
A copula is a word that connects the subject of a sentence with a description or status. In Japanese, 'です' follows a noun or adjective and functions similarly to the English verb “to be” (is, am, are). Its primary role is to make sentences polite by linking the subject to the predicate.
"Desu" is the japanese word for "to be". As such, it's a bit more important than just to sound cute. Desu also comes in varying forms, like the informal "da". Desu is just the standard (and more on the polite side, though there's more polite ones) way of saying it.
This is a mistake and poor practice. You will hear the honorific form spoken everywhere, every day. As mentioned above, it is used by native Japanese speakers when ordering a coffee or asking for help—it's not just for speaking to your boss in the office.
Are You a Beginner to Japanese? Watch This! What are です (desu) and ます(masu)?
What do we say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 in Japanese?
In Japanese, 1 to 10 are: ichi (1), ni (2), san (3), yon/shi (4), go (5), roku (6), nana/shichi (7), hachi (8), kyu/kyuu (9), and juu (10), with "yon," "nana," and "kyuu" often preferred to avoid unlucky meanings associated with "shi" (death), "shichi," and "ku" (suffering).
です can be tacked onto the end of a noun, な-adjective, or い-adjective to form a polite, positive, present tense sentence (say that ten times fast 😉). In other words, it allows us to talk about something that is true, and relevant to the present moment and/or the future—all in a polite way of course.
"kawaii" means "adorable", usually implies small or childlike. "Senpai" is an older role model figure. "Desu" is a japanese word used to end a sentence. It doesn't really mean anything by itself, but has been picked up in english derivative works to make the characters 'sound' more japanese.
The second one with "desu ne" softens the statement and makes it sound more intimate or friendly. Using "desu ne" this way demonstrates social awareness and politeness.
The "three date rule" in Japan refers to the common cultural expectation for a love confession, known as kokuhaku, to happen around the third date, marking the transition from casual dating to an official couple, often before significant physical intimacy like kissing, emphasizing building trust and mutual respect slowly. While it's a strong guideline, not a strict law, it signifies a cultural preference for clear commitment and slow progression in relationships, with the confession setting the foundation for moving forward, but some variations exist based on individual pace.
While extralinguistic items such as emoticons and emojis have drawn scholarly attention, I focus on the use of 笑 (wara), the kanji or Chinese character meaning “laughter,” which has received limited scholarly attention (e.g., Bennett 2012; Oberwinkler 2020).
