Question 1

What does the particle は indicate in 社長は?

Accepted Answer

は marks 社長 as the topic of the sentence. It tells the listener “as for the president…” and sets up the rest of the statement. If you used が instead (社長が), it would more narrowly introduce “the president” as new or focused information, rather than a known topic.

Question 2

Why is に used after 会議 in 会議に参加しませんでした?

Accepted Answer

The particle に marks the target or destination of the action 参加する (“to participate/attend”). “会議に参加する” literally means “to participate in (or attend) a meeting.”

Question 3

How is the polite negative past 参加しませんでした formed from 参加する?

Accepted Answer

To form the polite negative past of a –する verb like 参加する:  
1. Change する to its polite negative present: しません.  
2. Then change the present negative しません to past negative by adding でした → しませんでした.  
Put back the noun: 参加 + しませんでした = 参加しませんでした.

Question 4

What role does が play after しました in 参加しませんでしたが?

Accepted Answer

Here, が is not the subject-marker but a conjunction meaning “but” or “however,” connecting the first clause to the second. It contrasts “he did not attend” with “he did send his opinion.”

Question 5

Why is 意見 marked with を in 意見をメールで送りました?

Accepted Answer

The verb 送る (“to send”) is transitive and takes a direct object. を marks 意見 as the thing being sent: “He sent his opinion.”

Question 6

What does the particle で indicate in メールで送りました?

Accepted Answer

で here marks the means or method. メールで means “by e-mail.” It tells us how the opinion was sent.

Question 7

Could you switch the word order to メールで意見を送りました?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In Japanese, you can often reorder particles quite freely as long as each noun keeps its correct particle. メールで意見を送りました (“sent the opinion by e-mail”) is just as natural.

Question 8

What’s the difference between 参加する and 出席する when talking about attending meetings?

Accepted Answer

• 参加する focuses on active participation—joining in discussion or activities.  
• 出席する simply means “to be present” (attendance).  
Depending on nuance, you might choose one over the other, but both can be used for meetings.

Question 9

How would you say this sentence in casual Japanese?

Accepted Answer

You can drop polite endings and use けど instead of が:  
社長は会議に参加しなかったけど、意見をメールで送った。

Question 10

Can you use しかし instead of the conjunction が, and where does it go?

Accepted Answer

Yes. しかし is a more formal “however.” You’d place it at the start of the second clause (often at the beginning of a new sentence):  
社長は会議に参加しませんでした。しかし、意見をメールで送りました。

syatyou ha kaigi ni sankasimasen desita ga, iken wo meeru de okurimasita.

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