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Question to Teacher: Why do you add the particle WA after KYOU?
Course 1 Lesson 7: Where is it? (Grammar)

karoly

Post Date: 2005-05-20 08:32:38

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2005 Apr 22

Questions: 3
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Hello again,
I would just need some further explanation abaut the use of the particle WA with time adverbials.I have just seen these two sentences:

KYOO,KAIMONO WO SHIMASHITA and KYOO WA ISOGASHI KARA,KAIMONO WO SHIMASEN.

Why in one case there is no WA after TODAY?Has it anything to do about the second sentence being negative that the WA becomes neccessary?

Thank you for your attention.
Carlos (Spain)

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JFZ Teacher (Kanako)

Post Date: 2005-05-20 09:00:49

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2003 Mar 03

Questions: 10
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Good question!
Let me give you some example sentences first.

1) きょう、かいものをしました。（KYOU, KAIMONO O SHIMASHITA) = I did shopping today.

2) あした、がっこうにいきます。(ASHITA GAKKOU NI IKIMASU) = I am going to school tomorrow.

3) きのう、おすしをたべました。（KINOU OSUSHI O TABEMASHITA) = I ate sushi yesterday.

No particle is necessary after words like きょう (KYOU = Today)、きのう (KINOU = yesterday) and あした (ASHITA = tomorrow).

But if you want to stress these words, you can add the particle は (WA) as in your second sentence.

(わたしは）きょうはいそがしいから、かいものをしません。(（WATASHI WA) KYOU WA ISOGASHII KARA, KAIMONO O SHIMASEN)
= I am not going shopping because I am busy today./As for today, I am busy, so I am not going shopping.

The particle WA is used as a contrast marker as well.

For example;

1) わたしはきょう、がっこうにいきますが、あしたはいきません。(WATASHI WA KYOU GAKKOU NI IKIMASUGA, ASHITA WA IKIMASEN)
= I am going to school today, but I am not going tomorrow.

2) たなかさんはきょう、げんきですが、きのうはげんきじゃなかったです。(TANAKA SAN WA KYOU GENKI DESUGA, KINOU WA GENKI JA NAKATTA DESU)
= Mr. Tanak is fine today, but he wasn't fine yesterday.

Hope this helps!

Kanako @ YesJapan