tomodati ha tosyokan de pasokon wo tukaimasu.

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Questions & Answers about tomodati ha tosyokan de pasokon wo tukaimasu.

Why is 友達 followed by instead of ?

In Japanese, marks the topic of the sentence (“as for my friend”), indicating what the sentence is about.

  • sets the scene or context.
  • marks the grammatical subject, often used to introduce new information or to emphasize who is doing something.
    Here, since the friend is already known or assumed, we use to state what they do.
What does the particle in 図書館で indicate?

The particle marks the location where an action takes place.

  • 図書館で means “at the library.”
  • You can think of as the equivalent of “at” or “in” when describing where you do something.
Why is used after パソコン?

The particle marks the direct object of a verb, i.e. what is being acted upon.

  • パソコンを使います literally means “use a computer.”
  • tells us that “computer” is the thing receiving the action “use.”
What’s the word order in this Japanese sentence compared to English?

Japanese generally follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, though the topic can come first:
Topic (友達は) → Location (図書館で) → Object (パソコンを) → Verb (使います)
In English, it’s typically Subject-Verb-Object (SVO):
“My friend (Subject) uses (Verb) a computer (Object) at the library (Location).”

Why is there no pronoun like “my” before 友達?

Japanese often omits possessive pronouns when context makes ownership clear.

  • If you need to specify, you can say 私の友達は… (“my friend…”).
  • But if it’s obvious from conversation or situation, you don’t need a pronoun.
Is 友達 singular or plural?

Japanese nouns do not change form for number.

  • 友達 can mean either “friend” or “friends,” depending on context.
  • Here, without additional context, it could be one friend or multiple friends.
Why is パソコン written in katakana?

パソコン is a loanword (from “personal computer”).

  • Japanese uses katakana for foreign words and onomatopoeia.
  • Native words use hiragana or kanji; borrowed words go in katakana.
Why is the verb 使います in its ます-form?

The ます-form is the polite or formal present/future tense.

  • 使います = polite “use.”
  • The plain (dictionary) form is 使う; you’d use that in casual speech or in writing like diaries.
How do you read and what does 図書館 mean?
  • Reading: としょかん (tosho-kan)
  • Meaning: “library.”
    • means “diagram/picture,”
    • means “write/book,”
    • means “building/hall.”
      Together they form the word for a place where books are kept and read.