tsugi wa supea deshita.

The next one was a spare.

Breakdown of tsugi wa supea deshita.

• は: topic particle
• です: to be
• 次つぎ: next
• スペア: a spare in bowling

Questions & Answers about tsugi wa supea deshita.

Why is は pronounced wa here instead of ha?

Because は is being used as the topic particle, and when は is a particle, it is pronounced wa.

So in this sentence:

• 次 = next
• は = topic marker, pronounced wa

This is one of the first pronunciation exceptions learners meet in Japanese.

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What does 次 mean here?

次 means next or the next one.

It is usually read つぎ (tsugi).

In a sentence like this, 次 often refers to whatever comes next in the current context, such as:

• the next turn
• the next frame
• the next try
• the next item/event

Japanese often leaves that specific noun unstated if it is already understood from the situation.

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What is the role of は in this sentence?