Breakdown of watasi ha sensei to hanasimasu.
はha
topic particle
私watasi
I
とto
companion particle
話すhanasu
to talk
先生sensei
teacher
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Questions & Answers about watasi ha sensei to hanasimasu.
What does the particle は after 私 do?
は is the topic marker. It sets 私 (I) as the topic of the sentence, so we understand the speaker is talking about themselves. It doesn’t directly mark the grammatical subject (that’s usually が), but rather what the sentence is about: “As for me, …”.
Why do we use the particle と after 先生?
The particle と means with when used with verbs of interaction like 話す (to talk). 先生と話します literally means “talk with the teacher” – emphasizing a two-way conversation.
Could we use 先生に話します instead of 先生と話します?
Yes. に marks the target or direction of an action (“to”). 先生に話します means “talk to the teacher,” which can sound a bit more one-sided (you speak and they listen). 先生と話します highlights a mutual exchange.
Is it necessary to say 私 in this sentence? Can we omit it?
No, 私 can be dropped because Japanese often omits pronouns when context makes it clear. If the listener knows who’s speaking, you can just say 先生と話します and it means “I’ll talk with the teacher.”
What tense is 話します, and how do we translate it into English?
話します is the polite non-past form of 話す. It covers both present and future contexts: “I talk,” “I’m talking,” or “I will talk,” depending on context. Japanese doesn’t distinguish simple present from future with different verb forms.
What politeness level is shown by 話します? How would you say it casually?
話します uses the -ます form, which is polite (also called the “masu-form”). In casual or plain speech you’d use the dictionary form 話す, so you’d say 私（は）先生と話す or simply 先生と話す.
Why is the verb placed at the end of the sentence?
Japanese has an SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) word order. You first introduce topic/subject, then objects or adjuncts, and the verb comes last to complete the thought.
What’s the difference between は and が, and could we say 私が先生と話します?
が marks the grammatical subject and often introduces new or focused information. 私が先生と話します emphasizes I, as in “I (as opposed to someone else) will talk with the teacher.” Using は instead makes 私 the topic, a more neutral “as for me” framing.
Can I use a different pronoun instead of 私 if I’m male or in a casual setting?
Yes. 僕 is common for males in informal settings, and 俺 is even more casual/masculine. For example: 僕は先生と話す or 俺は先生と話す (casual). Choose based on how you want to present yourself and the formality of the situation.