Breakdown of kuruma ha singou de tomarimasu.
はha
topic particle
車kuruma
car
でde
location particle
信号singou
traffic light
止まるtomaru
to stop
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Questions & Answers about kuruma ha singou de tomarimasu.
What does the particle は do in 車は信号で止まります?
The particle は marks the topic of the sentence. Here, 車は means “as for the car,” indicating that the sentence will say something about the car (namely, that it stops at a traffic light). It’s not the subject-marker が, but a way to set the topic and often contrasts or generalizes.
Why is 信号 followed by で instead of に?
The particle で marks the place where an action occurs. In this case, 信号で止まります means “(it) stops at the traffic light.” If you used に, it would sound like the car moves into or towards the light, which isn’t the intended meaning.
Can I replace は with が in this sentence?
Yes, you can say 車が信号で止まります, but it shifts the nuance. 車が simply marks “the car” as the subject, focusing on the fact that a car stops. 車は sets “the car” as an assumed topic, perhaps contrasting with other vehicles.
Why is the verb 止まります in the polite form?
止まります is the polite present/future tense of 止まる (“to stop”). In everyday speech, you might hear the plain form 止まる (“車は信号で止まる”), but textbooks and polite conversation often use 止まります to maintain a polite tone.
What reading and meaning do 信号 and 止まります have?
- 信号 (しんごう) means “traffic light” or “signal.”
- 止まります (とまります) is the polite present/future form of 止まる, meaning “to stop.”
Could I say 信号で車は止まります instead?
Yes, that word order is grammatically okay: 信号で車は止まります. Japanese word order is flexible, especially when particles clearly mark functions. However, 車は信号で止まります is more natural because you usually introduce the topic (車は) first.
What’s the difference between 止まる and 止める?
- 止まる (とまる) is an intransitive verb: “(something) stops by itself,” e.g., “車が止まる.”
- 止める (とめる) is a transitive verb: “to stop something,” e.g., “ドライバーが車を止める” (“the driver stops the car”).
Is 止まります really future tense or something else?
Japanese present tense covers both present and future contexts. 止まります can mean “(it) stops” or “(it) will stop,” depending on context. There’s no separate future tense conjugation in Japanese; context and time expressions clarify the timing.