Breakdown of shiharai wa sumaho de dekimasu.
はwa
topic particle
でde
means particle
スマホsumaho
smartphone
できるdekiru
to be able to do
支払いshiharai
payment
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Questions & Answers about shiharai wa sumaho de dekimasu.
Why is 支払い used instead of 支払う?
Because 支払い is the noun “payment,” whereas 支払う is the verb “to pay.” In this sentence we’re talking about the concept of payment as a topic: “As for payments, (they) can be done by smartphone.”
What does the particle は mark here? Could we use が instead?
は marks 支払い as the topic (“as for payment”). If you used が — 支払いがスマホでできます — you’d be marking “payment” as the grammatical subject of できます (“payment can be done by smartphone”), which puts a bit more emphasis on the existence or availability of the service. Both are grammatically correct but carry slightly different nuances.
Why is スマホ written in katakana?
スマホ is an abbreviation of the English word “smartphone.” Japanese writes loanwords and their abbreviations in katakana to show they come from other languages.
What role does the particle で play after スマホ?
で indicates the means or instrument used to perform an action. Here it means “with” or “using”: you make the payment with a smartphone.
What kind of verb is できます? Why not できる?
できます is the polite (ます-form) of the potential verb できる, meaning “can do.” In formal or customer-facing contexts (like signage or instructions), you use できます. In casual speech or writing you might use できる.
Could I say スマホで支払えます instead? Is there a difference?
Yes. スマホで支払えます uses the verb 支払う in its potential plain form (“you can pay”). It’s more action-oriented. 支払いはスマホでできます uses the noun “payment” as the topic and reads more like a general announcement. The core meaning is the same.
Why isn’t 支払い followed by を in this sentence?
Because できます is an intransitive potential verb (the potential of する). It doesn’t take a direct object with を. Instead you mark the topic with は (or the subject with が).
Can we add お to 支払い? When would we use お支払い?
Yes. Adding お (making it お支払い) adds politeness or respect. You’ll often see お支払い in formal or customer-facing contexts, like on invoices or in shops.
Why is the subject omitted? Who is doing the paying?
Japanese often omits obvious subjects when context makes them clear. Here it’s understood to be “you” (customers) or people in general — there’s no need to explicitly say あなた or 私たち.