watasi ha nihongo wo zyouzu ni hanasimasu.

I speak Japanese well.

Breakdown of watasi ha nihongo wo zyouzu ni hanasimasu.

• は: topic particle
• 私わたし: I
• を: direct object particle
• 日に本ほん語ご: Japanese (language)
• 話はなす: to speak
• 上手じょうず に: well

Questions & Answers about watasi ha nihongo wo zyouzu ni hanasimasu.

What do the particles は and を do in this sentence?

• は marks the topic: 私 (I/me) is what the sentence is about.
• を marks the direct object: 日本語 is the thing being spoken.
• Structure: Topic は + Object を + manner + Verb.

Why does 上手 need に here?

• 上手 (じょうず) is a na-adjective. To make a na-adjective modify a verb (i.e., become an adverb), add に: 上手に.
• Compare: i-adjectives make adverbs with く (e.g., 速い → 速く).

Could I say 日本語が上手です instead? What’s the difference?

• 日本語が上手です = “I’m good at Japanese” (overall ability with the language).
• 日本語を上手に話します = “I speak Japanese well” (specifically the act of speaking).

Is this sentence natural to say about myself?

• It’s grammatical, but self-praise with 上手 can sound boastful in Japanese.
• Softer, common alternatives:
  • 日本語は少し話せます。 (I can speak a little.)
  • 日本語はまだ勉強中です。 (I’m still learning.)
  • 日本語はまあまあ話せます。 (I can speak it okay.)

Can I drop 私?

• Yes. If it’s clear you’re talking about yourself, just say 日本語を上手に話します.
• You can also topicalize the language: 日本語は上手に話します (As for Japanese, I speak it well), which contrasts Japanese with other languages.

Why not use 話せます instead of 話します?

• 話します = “speak” (habitual/regular action).
• 話せます (potential) = “can speak.”
• With potential verbs, the object is usually marked by が: 日本語が話せます.

Why is it 日本語を and not 日本語で?

• 日本語で話します = “speak in Japanese” (Japanese as the means/instrument). This is the most common way to say it in everyday conversation.
• 日本語を話します treats the language as the direct object (“speak Japanese”). It’s correct and natural in many contexts (e.g., 英語を話す人), and works here too, though で is more default when focusing on the act of conversing.

Can I change the word order?

• Yes. All are grammatical with slight emphasis shifts:
  • 日本語を上手に話します
  • 上手に日本語を話します (emphasizes the manner first)
  • 日本語は上手に話します (contrastive topic)

How do I pronounce these words?

• 私: わたし (watashi)
• 日本語: にほんご (nihongo)
• 上手: じょうず (jōzu) in this meaning (“skillful”). Not うわて.
• 話します: はなします (hanashimasu)

What politeness level is 話します?

• 話します is polite (ます-form).
• Plain/casual is 話す. Example: 日本語を上手に話す.

How do I say it in the negative or past?

• Negative (polite): 日本語を上手に話しません。
• Past (polite): 日本語を上手に話しました。
• Negative potential (polite): 日本語を上手に話せません。

What’s the opposite of 上手?

• 下手 (へた) = not good/poor at (neutral/straight).
• 苦手 (にがて) = weak at/poor at and tend to avoid or dislike (softer, often used about oneself).

Can I use うまく instead of 上手に?

• Yes. うまく話します ≈ 上手に話します.
• うまい/うまく is more casual; note うまい also means “tasty.”

Is 上手 a noun or an adjective?

• It’s a na-adjective/nominal adjective.
• Before nouns: 上手な人 (a skillful person). As a predicate: 上手です. As an adverb: 上手に.

Why do textbooks say 日本語が話せます instead of 日本語を話せます?

• With potential verbs (like 話せる), the thing that would normally take を often switches to が.
• So: 日本語が話せます is the standard pattern.

What’s the difference between 話す, しゃべる, and 言う?

• 話す: to speak/talk (neutral, general).
• しゃべる: to chat/blab (more casual/colloquial).
• 言う: to say/utter specific words.

Can I say 私は日本語は上手に話します?

• Double-topic XはYは… is possible when contrasting Y with something else (e.g., Japanese vs. other languages).
• Without clear contrast, it can sound awkward. Usually use just one は.

How do I say “very well” or “pretty well”?

• とても上手に話します (very well)
• かなり上手に話します (quite well)
• けっこう上手に話します (pretty well; modest)

Why are there spaces between the words?

• They’re for learners. Standard Japanese writing does not use spaces between words.