Wa

[Another Aoi Fan]

I keep have trouble with the word: Wa. I know know when to use it.

Is it like: Da in Chinese? Like: Wo Da Mama. ((My mother))

 

[moofs]

no, it's more like 'shi' like 'wo shi moofs' (I am moofs). But.. eh, some cases its not really.

de in your "wo de mama" is equivalent to 'no' (possessive particle)

 

[Glenn]

Actually it's not like anything in Chinese or English.

 

[Buntaro]

Take a look at Wa and Ga:

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は、が


These 2 particles は wa & が ga both do what in English is the subject, but は wa is greater in scope than が ga

は wa - the main topic particle of the conversation

が ga - the subject particle of the sentence

わたしは　クレイ　です。
watashi wa kurei desu.
I am Clay.
[Clay is the topic and now this is known, it won't be repeated unless the topic changes]

ねこが　すき　です。
neko ga suki desu.
(I) like cats.
["cats" are actually the 'subject' here. Maybe this is easier to see "Cats are liked (by me). Note you could say "watashi wa neko ga suki desu." but it is unnecessary because we have already said "watashi wa" (The overall topic is already known)]

if both are in a sentence, the wa is first


the wa is written with a hiragana ha but pronounced as wa