How do I use "DE WA" ?

[Erik]

I'm not very good with japanese grammer, so I was hoping someone could explain "de wa" for me. In a book I read;

Gakkou de wa, ima Jon-san ga taipu o utte imasu.
Yoko-san no uchi de wa, minna ga Jon-san o matte imasu.

I understand it translates into;

At school, John is typing now.
At yoko's house, everyone is waiting for John.

I have a good idea how to use "de wa" but I would really like someone to clarify it for me. Thanks.DE WA

TIA

 

[Luz-chan]

Isn't de wa used as a contrast or something? I'm not sure; I went online for it, but I couldn't find it.

 

[Elizabeth]

I thought "de wa" was either used in the negative meaning 'not be' or to emphasize the subjects at a particular location. Expressions like "sore de" and "sore de wa" are used quite differently, though ???

 

[Keiichi]

Originally posted by Elizabeth
I thought "de wa" was either used in the negative meaning 'not be' or to emphasize the subjects at a particular location. Expressions like "sore de" and "sore de wa" are used quite differently, though ???

The second one is right, but I'm not certain what you're trying to say for the first. But in the sentence Erik provided, it would be waht you said for the second one, about the location being the topic.

 

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by Keiichi
The second one is right, but I'm not certain what you're trying to say for the first. But in the sentence Erik provided, it would be waht you said for the second one, about the location being the topic.

The other would be not something -- like "(nani) de wa nai desu."

 

[Erik]

Originally posted by Keiichi
The second one is right, but I'm not certain what you're trying to say for the first. But in the sentence Erik provided, it would be waht you said for the second one, about the location being the topic.

So in a way, it's kind of a way, in the example I've provided, it's just another way of saying "but..." ?

 

[Keiichi]

Originally posted by Erik
So in a way, it's kind of a way, in the example I've provided, it's just another way of saying "but..." ?

No. No 'but.'

If I'm right, saying:
Yoko-san no uchi de wa...
would be you're talking about "at Yoko's house".

but if you put:
Yoko-san no uchi wa...
without the 'de', you're talking about "Yoko's house", instead of being at Yoko's house (or not being there, etc. whatever's related).

 

[Erik]

Originally posted by Keiichi
No. No 'but.'

If I'm right, saying:
Yoko-san no uchi de wa...
would be you're talking about "at Yoko's house".

but if you put:
Yoko-san no uchi wa...
without the 'de', you're talking about "Yoko's house", instead of being at Yoko's house (or not being there, etc. whatever's related).

ok. I think I have a better understanding of it... still rather confusing for me... doubt I'll use it in conversation at first... I'm sure it'll come to me though...