watasi ha piano wo hikimasu.

I play the piano.

Breakdown of watasi ha piano wo hikimasu.

• は: topic particle
• 私わたし: I
• を: direct object particle
• ピアノ: piano
• 弾ひく: to play

Questions & Answers about watasi ha piano wo hikimasu.

Why is 私 marked with は, not が?

は is the topic marker; it sets 私 as the topic. が marks the subject when introducing new information or emphasis. Here, we’re stating what I generally do, so は is appropriate.

What role does を play after ピアノ?

を marks the direct object of a transitive verb. It indicates that ピアノ is what’s being played.

Why is ピアノ written in katakana rather than hiragana or kanji?

Loanwords from other languages—like ピアノ from Italian piano—are typically written in katakana.

Why does the verb 弾きます come at the end of the sentence?

Japanese follows an SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order, so verbs usually appear at the end.

What is the function of the ます ending in 弾きます?

The –ます ending makes the verb polite and non-past, covering both present and future contexts in formal speech.

What is the dictionary form of 弾きます and why is it different?

The dictionary form is 弾く. 弾きます is its polite form, formed by replacing –く with –きます.

Can I drop 私 and just say ピアノを弾きます?

Yes. In Japanese, subjects are often omitted when clear. ピアノを弾きます still means I play the piano.

How do I say I play the guitar or I will play the guitar?

Replace ピアノ with ギター: ギターを弾きます means I play the guitar or I will play the guitar, depending on context.

Could I use で instead of を for the instrument?

You can say ピアノで演奏します, where で marks the instrument and 演奏する means to perform. With 弾く, however, を is standard to mark the object you play.

Is 弾く used for all musical instruments?

Not for all. 弾く applies to stringed or keyed instruments (guitar, piano, violin). Wind instruments use 吹く and percussion uses 叩く.