Breakdown of niku wa takai desu kara, kaimasen.
はwa
topic particle
ですdesu
to be
高いtakai
expensive
買うkau
to buy
肉niku
meat
からkara
reason particle
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Questions & Answers about niku wa takai desu kara, kaimasen.
What role does は play in 肉は高いですから、買いません?
は is the topic marker. It indicates that 肉 (“meat”) is the topic of the sentence—what you’re talking about. Unlike が, which introduces new or specific subjects, は sets up a general or known topic to comment on.
Why is です added after 高い?
高い is an i-adjective meaning “expensive.” Adding です makes the statement polite without changing its meaning.
• 高い → “(it’s) expensive” (plain)
• 高いです → “(it’s) expensive” (polite)
What is the function of から here?
から attaches to the end of a clause to show reason (“because…”). In 高いですから, it means “because it is expensive.” The reason clause comes first, followed by the main clause 買いません (“I won’t buy [it]”).
Why is the verb 買いません in the negative polite form instead of 買わない?
買いません is the polite present/future negative form of 買う (“to buy”). It’s more polite than the plain negative 買わない.
• 買わない → “don’t buy” (plain)
• 買いません → “don’t buy” (polite)
Can I drop です and say 高いから、買いません? What changes?
Yes. Dropping です makes the adjective clause plain while keeping the verb polite.
• 肉は高いから、買いません。
This sounds a bit more casual in the adjective part but still polite overall because of 買いません.
What’s the difference between から and ので for “because”?
Both mean “because,” but:
- から is direct and often used in everyday speech.
- ので is softer, more formal or explanatory.
You could say:
肉は高いので、買いません。
to sound slightly more polite or gentle.
Why does Japanese put the verb 買いません at the end?
Japanese follows a subject–object–verb (SOV) order. Each clause typically ends with its verb or concluding element (like an adjective + copula). Here, 買いません closes the main clause.
Why is there a comma before 買いません?
The comma separates the reason clause (高いですから) from the main clause (買いません) to make the sentence easier to parse. Punctuation in Japanese is optional but often used to clarify pauses.