Question 1: In Lesson 1.3, the opening sentence is "お 寿司 は 好き です か？", here the particle used with the verb 'suki' is 'wa'.
In another Japanese language book, it says "Particle 'ga' is used with 'suki desu' ". The example given is 'Banana ga suki desu'.
I am a bit confused by the two contradicting use of the word 'ga' with 'suki'. I will appreciate it if someone can help to clarify this.
Question 2:The pronounciation of 'ga'. Should be pronounced the same way of 'ga' as in the English word 'gabbage'?
Thank you very much.
ga & wa
Yamagawa-san, konnichiwa!
In the sentence,
お 寿司 は 好き です か？ - the は particle is used as an added emphasis and comparison to another item. That is, it expresses "As for sushi, do you like it?" or "Speaking of sushi, do you like it?"
The は particle marks the topic of the sentence. What topic are we talking about? About Osushi. In general, は is used for singling out expressing the following: "Speaking of this item, as opposed to other items".
:arrow: Note this reoccurring sentence structure in Japanese:
Topic + wa + discussion
When you are the speaker and you are using the expression すきです (Suki-desu), then you use the particle が (ga).
So, for "I like Sushi" you'd say おすし が すき です。(Osushi ga suki desu.)
-Sayaka
In the sentence,
お 寿司 は 好き です か？ - the は particle is used as an added emphasis and comparison to another item. That is, it expresses "As for sushi, do you like it?" or "Speaking of sushi, do you like it?"
The は particle marks the topic of the sentence. What topic are we talking about? About Osushi. In general, は is used for singling out expressing the following: "Speaking of this item, as opposed to other items".
:arrow: Note this reoccurring sentence structure in Japanese:
Topic + wa + discussion
When you are the speaker and you are using the expression すきです (Suki-desu), then you use the particle が (ga).
So, for "I like Sushi" you'd say おすし が すき です。(Osushi ga suki desu.)
-Sayaka
Sayaka-san, your explanation is very clear. ありがとう ございました
どういたしまして！ You're very welcome.
-Sayaka
-Sayaka
Can you explain more and in detail how you use the particle "ga" ?
Ohisashiburi ne ! Been a long time since I last visited here . Practiced a lot on kanji and almost forgot to do courses here lol.
Keyatta-san, to make it easier to understand, try to think of "ga" and "wa" as the same with "a/an" and "the" in English. When the topic is new, you always say "a/an X" (where X is the topic). And then when you want to continue talking about the topic, you refer to it with "the". This is how it works in English, but the Japanese version is all the same.
When the topic is new, and it's the first time when it's mentioned in the dialog, they mark the topic with "ga". On later use, the topic is marked with "wa" as they all know about what it is currently referred to.
example (English -> Japanese):
There is AN apple over there. THE apple is really sweet !
->
Asoko ni ringo GA aru. Sono ringo WA totemo amai desu yo !
Hope this helps,
コッド
Keyatta-san, to make it easier to understand, try to think of "ga" and "wa" as the same with "a/an" and "the" in English. When the topic is new, you always say "a/an X" (where X is the topic). And then when you want to continue talking about the topic, you refer to it with "the". This is how it works in English, but the Japanese version is all the same.
When the topic is new, and it's the first time when it's mentioned in the dialog, they mark the topic with "ga". On later use, the topic is marked with "wa" as they all know about what it is currently referred to.
example (English -> Japanese):
There is AN apple over there. THE apple is really sweet !
->
Asoko ni ringo GA aru. Sono ringo WA totemo amai desu yo !
Hope this helps,
コッド
Arigato!
Is ga / wa really as simple as a/an & the? Are there any strange exceptions or rules to look out for? I'd be happy if it was that simple because the difference between ga/wa has been eluding me, far more than the meaning of any other Japanese particle.
Well, not quite. I tried to make it simple for Keyatta-san, as he's only at the beginning and it's not worth troubling over those two particles.
Ok, the valid explanation for these two particles is like this:
ga - marks the subject
wa - marks the topic
Easier said, the "ga" emphasizes the information before the particle, while the "wa" emphasizes the information after the particle. Here's and example:
*There's a group of people, and someone asks who is gregory...you reply: "Boku ga Gregory desu"...here you emphasize the fact that YOU are that peson (subject - before the particle)
*Someone asks your name, and you reply: "Boku wa Gregory desu"...here, you emphasize the fact the YOUR NAME is Gregory (topic - after the particle).
Also try taking a look at Sayaka-sensei's explanation above.
Hope this helps
Ok, the valid explanation for these two particles is like this:
ga - marks the subject
wa - marks the topic
Easier said, the "ga" emphasizes the information before the particle, while the "wa" emphasizes the information after the particle. Here's and example:
*There's a group of people, and someone asks who is gregory...you reply: "Boku ga Gregory desu"...here you emphasize the fact that YOU are that peson (subject - before the particle)
*Someone asks your name, and you reply: "Boku wa Gregory desu"...here, you emphasize the fact the YOUR NAME is Gregory (topic - after the particle).
Also try taking a look at Sayaka-sensei's explanation above.
Hope this helps
here is another sample of usage of ga:
roberto san ga okinawa ni ikimashita
roberto san went too okinawa
this means we both know somebody went too okinawa, but i knew that it is robert who went, ex:
dare ga okinawa ni ikimashita=who went too okinawa?
a question word that is the subject of the sentence is never followed by the particle wa but always by the particle ga.
jack sensei ga megane wo kakete imasu= sensei jack is wearing the glasses
i hope that makes it easier too understand
roberto san ga okinawa ni ikimashita
roberto san went too okinawa
this means we both know somebody went too okinawa, but i knew that it is robert who went, ex:
dare ga okinawa ni ikimashita=who went too okinawa?
a question word that is the subject of the sentence is never followed by the particle wa but always by the particle ga.
jack sensei ga megane wo kakete imasu= sensei jack is wearing the glasses
i hope that makes it easier too understand
I found that after a while of speaking, you start to get a feel as to when to use "ga" or "wa", especially with the audio lessons.
Also, @コッド
"Boku wa Gregory desu" might make more sense as "Boku no namae wa Gragory desu", since you'd be emphasizing the name as the topic, and not just "you". Also, the topic comes before the particle. All particles qualify the term(s) that precede it.
I really need to search through some of the old forum topics. I did a huge explanation of "ga" and "wa" before, covering virtually all their uses.
Also, @コッド
"Boku wa Gregory desu" might make more sense as "Boku no namae wa Gragory desu", since you'd be emphasizing the name as the topic, and not just "you". Also, the topic comes before the particle. All particles qualify the term(s) that precede it.
I really need to search through some of the old forum topics. I did a huge explanation of "ga" and "wa" before, covering virtually all their uses.
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