Learn Hardcore Japanese: kyou ha kazoku no syasin wo insatusimasita.

は is the topic marker. It sets 今日 (“today”) as the topic of conversation—“as for today, …”. In contrast, が is a subject marker often used to introduce new or focal information. Here the speaker is relating something about today, not introducing a new subject, so は is the natural choice.

What role does の play in 家族の写真?

の connects two nouns in a possessive or descriptive way. 家族の写真 literally means “photo(s) of (my) family.”
– 家族 = family
– 写真 = photo
Without の, you lose the “of” relationship.

Why is を placed before 印刷しました?

を marks the direct object of a verb. Here, 家族の写真 is what was printed, so it gets を to show “I printed the family photos.”

Why does the verb 印刷しました come at the end?

Japanese follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. After introducing your topic (今日), then your object (家族の写真), you finish with the verb (印刷しました).

Why is 印刷しました in the past tense and polite form?

The ～ました ending is the polite past form.
– Past because the action of printing is already completed.
– Polite because the speaker likely wants to be courteous.
In plain speech you could say 印刷した; for non-past polite you’d use 印刷します.

How do you pronounce 今日 here?

It’s read きょう (kyō). Although 今日 can also appear in compounds as こんにち (e.g. こんにちは), in everyday contexts “today” is always きょう.

Could you say 家族写真を印刷しました without の?

Yes, 家族写真 is a compound noun meaning “family photo(s).” You can say 家族写真を印刷しました, but:

家族写真 often feels like a fixed term (e.g. a professional family portrait).
家族の写真 is more flexible and common in casual speech to mean “photos of my family.”

What’s the difference between 印刷しました and プリントしました?

Both mean “printed,” but:

印刷 is the native Sino-Japanese term, used in both formal and informal contexts.
プリント is a loanword from English, more casual and common when talking about hitting “Print” on a computer or at a convenience-store machine.
Example: 写真をプリントしました is very natural in daily conversation.