Learn Hardcore Japanese: gakkou ha soukisiharai ni gopaasento no waribiki wo kureru sou desu. - I hear the school gives a five-percent discount for early payment.

Word

学校がっこう　は　早期そうき支払しはらい　に　五ごパーセント　の　割引わりびき　を　くれる　そう　です。gakkou wa soukishiharai ni gopaasento no waribiki o kureru sou desu.

Meaning

I hear the school gives a five-percent discount for early payment.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Japanese

Lesson

Lesson 12

Breakdown of gakkou wa soukishiharai ni gopaasento no waribiki o kureru sou desu.

direct object particle

のno

possessive case particle

Questions & Answers about gakkou wa soukishiharai ni gopaasento no waribiki o kureru sou desu.

What does そうです at the end of the sentence mean?

そうです here expresses hearsay or reported information. It’s like saying “I heard that…” or “apparently…” in English. The speaker is not claiming firsthand knowledge but passing on what they’ve heard.

Why is 学校 marked with は instead of が?

The particle は marks the topic of the sentence—what you’re talking about. By saying 学校は, you’re setting “the school” as the known topic (“as for the school…”). If you used が, you’d be focusing on identifying or emphasizing the subject, which isn’t the goal here.

What does 早期支払いに mean, and why is に used?

早期支払い (sōki-shiharai) literally means “early payment.” The particle に marks the condition or timing—“for early payment” or “when paying early.” It tells us under what circumstance the action (giving a discount) happens.

Why is there の in 五パーセントの割引?

The の links the measure 五パーセント (“five percent”) to the noun 割引 (“discount”), making it a single modifier phrase: “a five-percent discount.” In English you might say “five-percent discount,” and in Japanese you use の to connect the number to the noun.

Why is 割引 followed by を rather than ?