yunomi ha tiisai.

It is read:

ゆのみ は ちいさい。

A few notes:

• 湯飲み = ゆのみ
• は is written は but here pronounced わ
• 小さい = ちいさい

In normal Japanese writing, this would usually be written without spaces:

湯飲みは小さい。

湯飲み means a teacup, especially a Japanese-style teacup, often without a handle.

The word is made from:

• 湯 = hot water
• 飲み = drinking / drinker part from 飲む meaning to drink

But in practice, it is best to learn 湯飲み as one vocabulary word meaning teacup.

は marks the topic of the sentence.

So 湯飲みは小さい。 is literally close to:

As for the teacup, it is small.

This does not always sound natural in English word-for-word, but it shows the role of は well.

The topic is what the sentence is talking about. Here, the sentence is talking about the teacup and then saying something about it: it is small.

This is one of the first unusual things learners notice.

When は is used as the topic particle, it is pronounced わ, not は.

So:

• as a normal syllable: は = ha
• as the topic particle: は = wa

This is just a standard spelling rule in Japanese grammar, and you will see it all the time.

In this sentence, 小さい is not directly modifying the noun. It is the predicate, the part that tells you something about the topic.

So:

• 湯飲みは小さい。 = The teacup is small.
• 小さい湯飲み = a small teacup

This is an important difference:

• before the noun: adjective modifies the noun
• at the end: adjective describes the topic or subject as the main statement

Because 小さい is an い-adjective, and in Japanese, an い-adjective can function as the predicate by itself.

So 小さい already means something like:

• is small
• are small

depending on context.

That is why 湯飲みは小さい。 is already a complete sentence.

A very important point: you do not say 小さいだ.

If you want to make it polite, you can say:

湯飲みは小さいです。

So:

• plain: 湯飲みは小さい。
• polite: 湯飲みは小さいです。

小さい is an い-adjective.

You can tell because it ends in い in its dictionary form.

Some useful forms are:

• 小さい = small
• 小さくない = not small
• 小さかった = was small
• 小さくなかった = was not small

It can also go before a noun:

• 小さい湯飲み = a small teacup

So 小さい is a very common and useful adjective pattern to learn early.

Yes, you could, but the nuance changes.

• 湯飲みは小さい。 = As for the teacup, it is small.
• 湯飲みが小さい。 = The teacup is small with more focus on the teacup itself, or on identifying which thing is small

Very roughly:

• は often introduces the topic, contrast, or general statement
• が often gives stronger focus to the subject or presents new information

In beginner sentences, は is often the more neutral choice for simple descriptions like this.

No. Japanese normally does not use spaces between words.

So the natural written form is:

湯飲みは小さい。

Spaces are often added in textbooks or beginner materials to make the structure easier to see.

Not in this exact sentence.

You can say:

• 小さい湯飲み = a small teacup
• 小さな湯飲み = a small teacup

But at the end of a sentence, you use 小さい, not 小さな.

So:

• correct: 湯飲みは小さい。
• incorrect: 湯飲みは小さな。

Also, 小さな is only used before a noun, and it can sound a little more descriptive or literary than 小さい.