watasi ha mizu wo nomimasu.

I drink water.

Breakdown of watasi ha mizu wo nomimasu.

• は: topic particle
• 私わたし: I
• を: direct object particle
• 水みず: water
• 飲のむ: to drink

Questions & Answers about watasi ha mizu wo nomimasu.

What is the particle は doing in this sentence, and how is it different from が?

The particle は is the topic marker. It tells the listener that 私 (“I”) is the topic of discussion. In contrast, が is the subject marker and often introduces new information or emphasizes the subject. In a simple declarative sentence like “I drink water,” は is more natural to establish 私 as the known topic.

What does the particle を indicate here?

を marks the direct object of a transitive verb. Since 水 (“water”) is what is being drunk, it takes を to show that it is the object of 飲みます (“drink”).

Why does the verb 飲みます appear at the end of the sentence?

Japanese typically follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. The verb almost always comes last, after all its arguments marked by particles.

What form is 飲みます, and could I use 飲む instead?

飲みます is the polite non-past affirmative form of the verb 飲む (“to drink”). You use 飲みます in polite conversation. 飲む is the plain (dictionary) form, used casually or in written language.

Is it necessary to include 私 in the sentence?

Not always. Japanese often omits pronouns if the context is clear. You could simply say 水を飲みます if it’s obvious you’re talking about yourself. Including 私 adds clarity or emphasis.

Can “私 は 水 を 飲みます” mean both “I drink water” and “I will drink water”?

Yes. The non-past tense in Japanese covers both habitual actions (“I drink water [regularly]”) and future actions (“I will drink water”). Context usually clarifies which meaning is intended.

What’s the difference between 水 and お水 in this context?

Adding the honorific prefix お to 水 makes お水, which sounds more polite or respectful. In a restaurant or when speaking politely, you might hear お水を飲みます.

Could I replace 私 with another pronoun like 僕 or 俺?

Yes. 僕 is a casual masculine “I,” and 俺 is even more informal and masculine. Polite or formal speech typically uses 私, while personal style or gender identity may lead a speaker to choose 僕 or 俺.

If I want to say “I’m drinking water” (right now), do I need to change the form?

To emphasize the ongoing action, you would use the –ている form: 水を飲んでいます. In polite speech, that becomes 水を飲んでいます (“I am drinking water”).