じゃない
Is not, Isn't
Structure
Noun + では(1) + ない
(1)じゃ
Explanation
じゃない is the informal equivalent of ではない. In conversational Japanese, では is often shortened to じゃ, a pattern that is useful to recognize. To make nouns and な-Adjectives negative, you can use either じゃない for casual situations or ではない for more formal contexts.
To use these forms, you just attach them directly to the end of a noun or な-Adjective.
- この人は医者じゃない。This person isn't a doctor.
- この町は安全じゃない。This town is not safe.
For a more polite negative, じゃ and では can be combined with ありません, the polite negative form of the verb ある.
- あれは冗談ではありません。That is not a joke.
- このレストランは有名ではありません。This restaurant is not famous.
In some cases, ない might be pronounced or written as ね or ねえ. This is a very informal, somewhat rough-sounding variation, so it's generally best to avoid using it in most situations.
- 俺は子供じゃねえよ。I'm not a kid.
Caution
じゃない is also often used to form questions. It is similar to じゃないか, which is a separate grammar point. The subtle difference is that a question ending in じゃない is more of a direct confirmation, similar to 'isn't it?' in English. In contrast, じゃないか sounds more like you're seeking agreement, like saying 'don't you think?'.
- それは変じゃない？That's strange, isn't it? (More direct statement)
- それは変じゃないか？Don't you think that's strange? (More direct question)
You can typically tell when じゃない is being used as a question by its rising intonation at the end of the sentence.
Examples
猫じゃない。
It is not a cat.
学生じゃない。
I am not a student.
豚肉じゃないです。
It is not pork.
この駅は、便利じゃありません。
This station is not convenient.
得意な科目は、数学ではありません。
The subject I'm good at is not math.
その建物は、図書館ではないだろう。
That building is not a library, right?
朝ごはんは、卵じゃない。
Breakfast is not eggs.
この町は、賑やかではない．
This town is not lively.
会議は、月曜日じゃない。
The meeting is not on Monday.
私の下手なスポーツはテニスじゃない。
The sport I am bad at is not tennis.
明日、休日ではありません。
Tomorrow is not a holiday.
これは、薬じゃないでしょう。
This is not medicine, right?