Written style
The である (de-aru) style is the standard formal written form of the Japanese copula. It replaces the casual だ or polite です in academic papers, reports, and formal essays to provide a tone of objective authority.
How It Works
The である体（であるたい） is a sub-category of the plain form (常体（じょうたい）). While it shares the same 'plain' status as the だ style, their usage environments differ significantly.
1. Usage Contexts:
- Academic Writing: Theses, research papers, and journals.
- Legal Documents: Laws, contracts, and official proclamations.
- Literature: Formal narration in novels.
- Technical Reports: Professional analysis where objectivity is paramount.
2. Grammatical Attachment:
- Nouns: Attached directly. (例：学生である)
- Na-Adjectives: Attached directly to the stem. (例：静かである)
- Verbs & I-Adjectives: In a text written in the である style, verbs and い-adjectives typically remain in their dictionary/plain forms. You do not attach である directly to them. To emphasize a verb with this style, you must use the nominalizer の to form のである.
3. Conjugations:
The である style has specific formal forms used in writing:
- Negative: ではない (例：事実ではない)
- Past: であった (例：重要であった)
- Conjunctive: であり (Used to link sentences formally, e.g., 彼は教師であり、作家でもある)
- Presumptive: であろう (Formal version of だろう, e.g., 困難であろう)
4. Relative Clauses:
One unique feature of である is its ability to link two nouns in a relative clause, which だ cannot do. For example, 'Mr. Tanaka, who is the author' is 筆者（ひっしゃ）である田中氏（たなかし）. Using だ here would be ungrammatical.
Examples (5)
- 吾輩は猫である。名前はまだ無い。
I am a cat. As yet I have no name.
Word by Word: I (formal/literary) [topic] cat am. Name [topic] yet not-exist.
This is the famous opening of Natsume Soseki's novel. The use of である establishes a unique, formal narrative voice for the cat.
- この実験結果は、仮説が正しいことを証明するものであった。
These experimental results were proof that the hypothesis was correct.
Word by Word: This experiment results [topic], hypothesis [subject] correct [nominalizer] [object] prove thing was.
Typical academic reporting style using the past tense であった to state a logical conclusion objectively.
- 平和こそが人類の共通の願いである。
Peace is precisely the common wish of humanity.
Word by Word: Peace [emphasis] [subject] humanity [possessive] common [possessive] wish is.
Used in a formal essay or editorial to state a broad, universal truth.
- 筆者である田中氏は、次のように述べている。
Mr. Tanaka, who is the author, states the following.
Word by Word: Author is Tanaka-Mr. [topic], following way [target] stating is.
Demonstrates the use of である in a relative clause to define a noun 田中氏（たなかし） with another noun 筆者（ひっしゃ）.
- 現代社会において、情報は最も重要な資源の一つなのである。
In modern society, information is one of the most important resources.
Word by Word: Modern society in, information [topic] most important resource [possessive] one is (explanatory).
Uses the explanatory のである to provide emphasis and a sense of logical assertion in a formal argument.
Common Mistakes
Mixing である with polite です/ます forms in the same text.
この研究は重要である。私はそう思います。この研究は重要である。筆者はそう考える。Consistency is vital in Japanese writing. If you start with the formal である style, you must maintain the plain/formal register throughout, avoiding polite endings like です or ます.
Attaching である directly to verbs.
彼は学校に行くである。彼は学校に行く。/ 彼は学校に行くのである。である cannot follow a verb directly. You should either leave the verb in its plain form or use the nominalizer 'no' (のである) if emphasis is required.
How It Connects
Learn This First
である体 is the formal written style used in essays, newspapers, and academic papers. To understand it, learners must first be familiar with the basic copula (だ/です) and the concept of different speech registers in Japanese. It functions as a more objective and authoritative version of the plain copula.
- だCopula (Casual)
である is the formal, written equivalent of the plain copula だ. Understanding the basic function of the copula is essential.
Level 1 - あるTo Exist (Inanimate)
である is etymologically derived from the particle で and the verb ある. Knowing the verb 'to exist' helps in understanding the structure of this formal copula.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- ですCopula (Polite)
The polite copula used in speech and letters to address a specific listener, contrasting with the objective tone of である.
Level 1 - のPossessive/nominalizer
Used as a nominalizer to allow である to follow verbs and adjectives (のである).
Level 1 - においてIn/at (Formal)
A formal particle often found in the same academic and technical texts that utilize the である style.
Level 3 - Politeness levels
である belongs to the 常体（じょうたい） register, which is one of the primary divisions in Japanese politeness levels.
Foundations - でございますCopula (Very Polite)
An extremely polite version of the copula used in speech, whereas である is the formal equivalent for writing.
Level 3
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