I got a couple of random grammar questions that I think I know, but at the same time would like to be educated about.

I'm going through a couple of audio programs for learning Japanese, and one of the phrases that turned up was "Jozu (I'm just going on what appears to be the phonetic spelling) ja arimasen" which means "I am not skilled."

Now, for ja arimasen, I know it's a negative way of saying something. I've also heard similar phrases such as "Ja nai" and "Dewa nai." Are those two in the same league as "ja arimasen?" And is "Dewa arimasen" a thing?

The second grammar question involved something based around the phrase "ni ikimasu." Specifically "Kyoto ni ikimasu" which I think means "I'm going to Kyoto."

The grammar question I have for that involves its other variations such as "Kyoto ni ikimasen" meaning "I'm not going to Kyoto" and "Kyoto ni ikimashita" meaning "I went to Kyoto." Are those correct?

TsugiAshi Wrote:I'm going through a couple of audio programs for learning Japanese, and one of the phrases that turned up was "Jozu (I'm just going on what appears to be the phonetic spelling) ja arimasen" which means "I am not skilled."

It's jouzu　

TsugiAshi Wrote:Now, for ja arimasen, I know it's a negative way of saying something. I've also heard similar phrases such as "Ja nai" and "Dewa nai." Are those two in the same league as "ja arimasen?" And is "Dewa arimasen" a thing?

Nai is more casual, where arimasen is more polite.

As a general rule, in writing dewa is used, and in speaking ja is used, but there is plenty of overlap of the two in both.

TsugiAshi Wrote:The second grammar question involved something based around the phrase "ni ikimasu." Specifically "Kyoto ni ikimasu" which I think means "I'm going to Kyoto."

The grammar question I have for that involves its other variations such as "Kyoto ni ikimasen" meaning "I'm not going to Kyoto" and "Kyoto ni ikimashita" meaning "I went to Kyoto." Are those correct?

Yes, though if asked if you're going to kyoto, and you are not, in the answer you can omit kyoto and just say ikimasen.

Dustin_Calgary Wrote:

TsugiAshi Wrote:I'm going through a couple of audio programs for learning Japanese, and one of the phrases that turned up was "Jozu (I'm just going on what appears to be the phonetic spelling) ja arimasen" which means "I am not skilled."

It's jouzu　

TsugiAshi Wrote:Now, for ja arimasen, I know it's a negative way of saying something. I've also heard similar phrases such as "Ja nai" and "Dewa nai." Are those two in the same league as "ja arimasen?" And is "Dewa arimasen" a thing?

Nai is more casual, where arimasen is more polite.

As a general rule, in writing dewa is used, and in speaking ja is used, but there is plenty of overlap of the two in both.

TsugiAshi Wrote:The second grammar question involved something based around the phrase "ni ikimasu." Specifically "Kyoto ni ikimasu" which I think means "I'm going to Kyoto."

The grammar question I have for that involves its other variations such as "Kyoto ni ikimasen" meaning "I'm not going to Kyoto" and "Kyoto ni ikimashita" meaning "I went to Kyoto." Are those correct?

Yes, though if asked if you're going to kyoto, and you are not, in the answer you can omit kyoto and just say ikimasen.

Thank you, that basically cleared up what I was looking for. One of the main things I was trying to figure out was whether or not dewa arimasen was a legit piece of grammar in Japanese, or if I was just mixing and matching certain grammar pieces that I thought I formed a pattern out of.