Breakdown of watasi ha kuruma wo unten dekiru ga, tikatetu no hou ga hayai desu.
はha
topic particle
ですdesu
to be
私watasi
I
車kuruma
car
をwo
direct object particle
がga
subject particle
のno
possessive case particle
がga
but
ほうhou
side
速いhayai
fast
地下鉄tikatetu
subway
運転 できるunten dekiru
to be able to drive
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Questions & Answers about watasi ha kuruma wo unten dekiru ga, tikatetu no hou ga hayai desu.
Why is the particle は used after 私?
は marks the topic of the sentence. In 私 は, it tells the listener “as for me,” we’re going to talk about what I can do.
Why is 車 followed by を?
を marks the direct object of a transitive verb. Here, 車を運転できる means “(I) can drive a car,” so 車 is what you’re driving.
What’s the function of できる in 運転できる?
できる is the potential form of する (“to do”). When attached to a noun+する verb like 運転する, it becomes 運転できる, meaning “to be able to drive.”
Why is が used here instead of けど or でも?
が is a formal conjunction meaning “but.” けど is more casual, and でも can feel slightly stronger or more emphatic. In written or polite speech, が is often preferred.
What does のほうが mean in 地下鉄のほうが速いです?
It’s part of the comparative pattern AよりBのほうが… (“B is more … than A”). Even without explicitly restating 車より, the sentence implies “the subway is faster than driving (a car).”
Why is 速い written with that kanji and not 早い?
Though both read はやい, 速い refers to speed (“fast”), while 早い refers to time (“early”). Since here we’re talking about speed, 速い is the correct choice.
Why is the subject omitted in the second clause?
Once 私 is introduced as the topic by は, you don’t need to repeat it. Japanese often omits repeated topics or subjects when they’re clear from context.
Can ほう be written in kanji?
Yes. You can write ほう as 方, so 地下鉄の方が速いです is perfectly acceptable.