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The particle は - [wa] presents the topic of one's utterance ("As for item X, it is
such that..."). |
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It puts forward the item that you want to talk about and comment
on. |
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メアリー さん は さんねんせい です。 |
Mary is a third-year student. |
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mearii-san wa san-nen-sei desu. |
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わたし の せんもん は にほんご です。 |
My major is Japanese language. |
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watashi-no senmon-wa nihongo desu. |
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A topic phrase, however, need not be the subject of a sentence. |
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In these two examples, ha [wa] promotes
time expressions as the topic of each sentence. |
メアリー さん、
しゅうまつ は たいてい なにを します か。 |
Mary,
what do you usually do on the weekends?(Let's talk about
weekends; what do you do on weekends?) |
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mearii san,
shuumatsu-wa taitei nani-o shimasu ka? |
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きょう は きょうと に いきます。 |
I'm going to Kyoto today. (Let me say what
I will do today; I will go to Kyoto.) |
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kyoo-wa kyooto ni ikimasu. |
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In this example, ha [wa] used to direct
the listener's attention and thereby to invite a comment or
completion of a sentence.
You may also note that the broached topic (bangohan)
does not stand in subject relation to the verb, but is
rather its direct object. |
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ばんごはん は？ |
How about dinner? |
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bangohan wa? |
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たべません。 |
I will not eat. |
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tabemasen. |
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