Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha asita no siken no tame ni nooto wo youisimasu. - I will prepare a notebook for tomorrow’s exam.

は is the topic marker. It tells the listener that 私 (“I”) is what the sentence is about. In English we often use word order or pronouns, but in Japanese は explicitly marks the topic.

Why not use が instead of は in 私は?

Both は and が can mark the subject/agent, but they have different nuances. は introduces or shifts the topic (what we’re talking about), while が marks new or specific information. Here, you’re setting 私 as the known topic, so は is appropriate.

Why are there two の particles in 明日の試験のために?

The first の links 明日 (“tomorrow”) to 試験 (“exam”), forming 明日の試験 (“tomorrow’s exam”). The second の links 試験 to ため, so 試験のために means “for the sake of (the) exam.”

What does ために mean, and why can’t we just say ため?

ため is a noun meaning “sake” or “purpose.” When you want to express “for the purpose of…,” you add the particle に, turning it into ために (“for … purpose”). Without に, you’re just stating the noun “purpose” without a grammatical function to indicate “for.”

What is the function of を in ノートを用意します?

を marks the direct object of the verb. Here, ノート (“notebook/notes”) is what you are preparing, so you say ノートを用意します.

Why is ノート written in Katakana, whereas words like 試験 use Kanji?

ノート is a loanword (from English “note”), so Japanese writes it in Katakana. Native Japanese words or Sino-Japanese compounds use Kanji (e.g., 試験).

What kind of verb is 用意します, and how is it formed?

用意します is the polite present/future tense of the suru-verb 用意する (“to prepare”). 用意 is a noun (“preparation”), and する turns many nouns into verbs. します is the polite form of する.

Why does the sentence use the present tense 用意します to talk about a future action?

Japanese uses the non-past tense (commonly called “present”) for both present and future actions. Context (like 明日) tells us you’re talking about tomorrow.

Can you omit 私は in this sentence?

Yes. Japanese often omits subjects or topics when they’re clear from context. If you’re the one speaking and it’s obvious you’re referring to yourself, you can say 明日の試験のためにノートを用意します.

How do you pronounce 用意します?

It’s pronounced よういします (yō-i-shi-ma-su). The first “o” is long (ō).

Could you use 準備します instead of 用意します?

Yes. 準備する and 用意する both mean “to prepare,” but there’s a slight nuance: 準備 often refers to broader preparations or arrangements, while 用意 can emphasize getting specific items ready.

What’s the difference between 試験のためにノートを用意します and 試験用のノートを用意します?

試験のためにノートを用意します emphasizes the purpose (“I’ll prepare notes for the exam”).
試験用のノートを用意します treats 試験用の as an adjective (“exam-use notes”), so you’re preparing notes specifically designed for the exam. The nuance is very subtle and both often translate similarly.