M Matsuyuu 先輩 Joined 13 Aug 2003 Messages 34 Reaction score 0 17 Aug 2003 #1 Okay, I'm learning the last 10 or 12 characters of Hiragana, and I went to a website on Japanese grammar: something's got me stumped: (わたしは watashi wa ) means 'I' (は wa) means 'topic)' Click to expand... Now, I thought わ meant "wa" and は mean "ha." Am I wrong?! Here's another one. (みせ へ mise e ) means 'store' with the directional particle (へ e ) Click to expand... Doesn't え mean "e?!" Isn't へ "he?!" Am I missing something?
Okay, I'm learning the last 10 or 12 characters of Hiragana, and I went to a website on Japanese grammar: something's got me stumped: (わたしは watashi wa ) means 'I' (は wa) means 'topic)' Click to expand... Now, I thought わ meant "wa" and は mean "ha." Am I wrong?! Here's another one. (みせ へ mise e ) means 'store' with the directional particle (へ e ) Click to expand... Doesn't え mean "e?!" Isn't へ "he?!" Am I missing something?
Elizabeth 先輩 Joined 22 Apr 2003 Messages 9,839 Reaction score 135 17 Aug 2003 #2 Well, it's pretty simple actually. As particles, は (ha) is pronounced "wa" and "へ" becomes "e." I believe Ha and He are probably based on archaic readings, although you still find them a lot in some styles of romaji today.
Well, it's pretty simple actually. As particles, は (ha) is pronounced "wa" and "へ" becomes "e." I believe Ha and He are probably based on archaic readings, although you still find them a lot in some styles of romaji today.