じゃありません

About

じゃありません ("is not") combines the casual「じゃない」with the negative polite (ません) form of ある, ありません. じゃありません attaches to a noun or な-adjective, and turns it negative.

じゃありません is not as commonly used as じゃないです, or ではありません, as it mixes casual and (very) polite language. じゃありません is best avoided in professional or formal situations, as it employs the use of the casual 「じゃ」.

じゃありません may not be combined with the polite sentence ender です. However, it may be used with でした in order to indicate the past tense.

Remember, polite =/= formal. じゃありません is considered "semi-polite" because of the addition of ありません, but is not formal like ではない.

Summary

• 

  じゃありません ("is not") may attach to a noun or な-adjective.

• 

  じゃありません mixes casual and polite speech.

• 

  じゃありません can be combined with でした to indicate the past tense.

• 

  じゃありません cannot be combined with です.