Breakdown of mise no iriguti ha semai ga, deguti ha hiroi.
Questions & Answers about mise no iriguti ha semai ga, deguti ha hiroi.
How do you pronounce the sentence?
Mise no iriguchi wa semai ga, deguchi wa hiroi. In kana: みせのいりぐちはせまいが、でぐちはひろい。 Note: the particle は is pronounced wa.
What does the particle は do here, and why is it after both 入口 and 出口?
は marks the topic and is contrastive here. The pattern A は X が、B は Y sets up a comparison between two topics (entrance vs. exit). So 入口は and 出口は each introduce what we’re talking about, highlighting the contrast between them.
The が after 狭い — is that the subject marker?
No. Here が is a conjunction meaning but/though. It connects two clauses in a somewhat formal/neutral style. Subject-marking が appears right after a noun (e.g., 雨が降る). Conjunctive が comes after predicates (verbs/adjectives), as in 狭いが….
Could I use けど or でも instead of が?
- けど / けれど(も): More conversational. Example: 店の入口は狭いけど、出口は広い。
- でも: Works best at the start of the second sentence. Example: 店の入口は狭い。でも、出口は広い。
- が: Slightly more formal/written feel. All three convey contrast.
Why is there a の between 店 and 入口?
の links two nouns, making an attributive or possessive-like phrase: 店の入口 = the store’s entrance. Compare:
- 店の入口は狭い (the store’s entrance is narrow)
- 店に入口がある (there is an entrance at the store)
Is 入口 or 入り口 correct? Which should I use?
Why is 口 read ぐち (not くち) in 入口 and 出口?
That’s due to rendaku (consonant voicing) in compounds: 口 (kuchi) → ぐち (guchi). Common examples:
- 出口 でぐち
- 入口 いりぐち
- 東口 ひがしぐち Not every compound triggers rendaku, but these do.
Why is there no です? How do I make it polite?
I-adjectives like 狭い and 広い can predicate a sentence without a copula in plain style. To make it polite:
- 店の入口は狭いですが、出口は広いです。 You can also say: 店の入口は狭いですけど、出口は広いです。
What’s the difference between 狭い and 細い?
- 狭い: narrow/cramped for spaces/areas (rooms, roads, entrances).
- 細い: thin/slender for long or cylindrical things (pencils, fingers, strings), or a person’s build. So an entrance or hallway is 狭い, not 細い.
What’s the difference between 広い and 大きい?
- 広い: wide/spacious (focus on area or breadth).
- 大きい: big/large in overall size or scale. Rooms, roads, spaces are typically 広い. A building can be 大きい; a room is more naturally 広い.
Could I say 店の入口が狭いが、出口は広い?
Why are there spaces in the sentence? Do Japanese normally write with spaces?
Spaces were added for learners. Standard Japanese doesn’t use spaces between words. Normally you’d write: 店の入口は狭いが、出口は広い。
What particles commonly go with 入口/出口 in other sentences?
- 入口で待つ (wait at the entrance)
- 入口に並ぶ (line up at the entrance)
- 入口から入る (enter through the entrance) — not 入口を入る
- 出口から出る (exit via the exit)
- 出口へ向かう (head toward the exit)
Does が always mean “but”?
No. が has two main uses:
- As a particle after a noun: subject marker (雨が降っている).
- As a conjunction after a predicate: but/though (狭いが、広い). Context and position tell you which it is.
Is the comma after が required?
No. It’s a stylistic pause. Both are fine:
- 店の入口は狭いが、出口は広い。
- 店の入口は狭いが出口は広い。 Writers often include the comma for readability.
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