「です」は何ですか？

[somethinorwatever]

ARE THE FORMS OF THE VERB です THE SAME AS THE OTHER VERBS. IT IS SAID THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO IRREGULAR VERBS, BUT DOES THAT ALSO APPLY TO です?
ALSO, IN THE DICTIONARY, THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF THE VERB "TO BE". WHEN DO I USE EACH VERB? IS IT LIKE SPANISH (SER AND ESTAR) WHERE EACH VERB IS USED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

[Daisuke]

Turn off your caps lock.

[maikeru]

somethinorwatever wrote:
ARE THE FORMS OF THE VERB です THE SAME AS THE OTHER VERBS. IT IS SAID THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO IRREGULAR VERBS, BUT DOES THAT ALSO APPLY TO です?
ALSO, IN THE DICTIONARY, THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF THE VERB "TO BE". WHEN DO I USE EACH VERB? IS IT LIKE SPANISH (SER AND ESTAR) WHERE EACH VERB IS USED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

Hello!

In 'Japanese Grammar: a Guide for students' 'desu' is described as a 'copula'.

Uses of 'desu' include:

1 To say what something or someone is. ('is...','am....','are...')
2 To make and adjective polite
3 To replace 'ni iru' or 'ni aru' to show the location of something or someone
4 To replace a verb when replying

Examples:

1 わたしは がくせい です (I am a student)
2 このかばんは おもい です (This bag is heavy)
3 えんぴつは つくえの うえに あります (The pencil is on the desk) can be said えんぴつは つくえの うえ です

The other 'to be's

There are two versions:

ある for inanimate things such as objects and plants
いる for animate things such as people and animals

Used to express:

1 existance of something or someone
2 location of something or someone
3 possession

Examples:

1 ねこが にひき います。There are two cats.
2 つくえの うえに えんぴつが あります。 There is a pencil on the desk.
3 わたしは コンピュータが あります。I have a computer

Hope this helps!!! B)