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Questions & Answers about kinyou ha isogasii desu.
What does the particle は do here?
は marks the topic: “As for Friday(s)…” So 金曜は忙しいです means “As for Friday(s), [I/it/someone] is busy,” often understood as “I’m busy on Friday(s).” It can also carry a mild contrast: Friday(s), as opposed to other days.
Where is the subject? Who is busy?
Japanese often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. Here it’s typically “I.” If you need to specify, you can add it: 私は金曜日は忙しいです (“As for me, as for Friday, I’m busy”). Context usually makes the subject clear.
Why not use に with the day (like “on Friday”)?
With events and actions, time is marked by に (e.g., 金曜日に行きます = “I’ll go on Friday”). But 忙しい is a state, so we normally topicalize the time with は: 金曜日は忙しいです. Saying 金曜日に忙しいです for “I’m busy on Friday” is unnatural.
What’s the difference between 金曜 and 金曜日?
Both mean “Friday.” 金曜日 (きんようび) is the full form. 金曜 (きんよう) is a common abbreviation, especially in schedules and headlines. In everyday speech people often say 金曜日; in writing (calendars, notes) 金曜 is very common. Either is fine here.
How do I pronounce the sentence, and why is は read “wa”?
Read it as: “Kinyō wa isogashii desu.” The topic particle は is always pronounced “wa” (not “ha”). The words are:
- 金曜/金曜日: kinyō / kinyōbi
- は: wa (topic particle)
- 忙しい: isogashii
- です: desu
Why is です used after an い‑adjective? Is it required?
忙しい can end the sentence by itself. Adding です makes it polite. So:
- Casual: 金曜日は忙しい。
- Polite: 金曜日は忙しいです。 Don’t say 忙しいだ; だ doesn’t attach to い‑adjectives.
How do I make negative or past forms?
For the い‑adjective 忙しい:
- Negative (casual): 忙しくない
- Negative (polite): 忙しくないです / more formal 忙しくありません
- Past (casual): 忙しかった
- Past (polite): 忙しかったです
- Past negative (casual): 忙しくなかった
- Past negative (polite): 忙しくなかったです / 忙しくありませんでした
Does this mean “this Friday” or “Fridays in general”?
Alone, 金曜日は忙しいです can mean either, depending on context. To be specific:
- This Friday: 今週の金曜日は忙しいです or 今度の金曜日は忙しいです
- Next Friday: 来週の金曜日は忙しいです
- Fridays in general (habit): 金曜日はいつも忙しいです
Does は add a contrast here?
It can. 金曜日は忙しいです implies “Fridays are busy (but possibly other days aren’t).” You might follow with a contrast like 土曜日は暇です (“Saturdays are free”).
When would I use が instead of は with this sentence?
Use が to mark Friday as the specific answer/focus, e.g., in response to “Which day is busy?”:
- どの日が忙しいですか。— 金曜日が忙しいです。 If you’re just making a general statement about Friday(s), は is more natural: 金曜日は忙しいです.
How do I ask “Are you busy on Friday?” politely and casually?
- Polite: 金曜日は忙しいですか。 Even more polite: 金曜日はお忙しいですか。
- Casual: 金曜日、忙しい？ or 金曜って忙しい？
How do I say “I’m busy with work (on Friday)”?
Use “busy with X”:
- 仕事で忙しい (“busy because of/with work”) — very common
- 仕事が忙しい (“work is busy,” implying you are) — also common Add the day as topic: 金曜日は仕事で忙しいです。
Are spaces normal in Japanese writing? Why are there spaces here?
Standard Japanese doesn’t use spaces between words. Teaching materials sometimes add spaces to help learners. Normally you’d write: 金曜は忙しいです。
Any other natural ways to say I can’t do Friday?
Yes, depending on nuance:
- 金曜日は都合が悪いです。 (That day doesn’t work for me.)
- 金曜日は予定があります。 (I have plans.)
- 金曜日は難しいです。 (Friday is difficult.)
- 金曜日は空いていません。 (I’m not free.)
Can I change the word order, like “忙しいです、金曜は”?
Japanese strongly prefers the topic first. 金曜は忙しいです is natural; 忙しいです、金曜は sounds marked and is usually used only for rhetorical or dramatic effect.
Does 忙しい describe people only, or can it describe days and places?
- People/schedules/days: 忙しい is fine (e.g., 金曜日は忙しい).
- Places being “busy/crowded”: use 混んでいる (e.g., 金曜日は店が混んでいます = “The store is crowded on Fridays”). Staff may say they are 忙しい on Fridays, but the store itself is 混んでいる.
How can I soften or intensify the statement?
- Softer: ちょっと忙しいです。, あまり時間がありません。
- Stronger: とても忙しいです。, すごく忙しいです。
- Negative softener: あまり忙しくありません。 (not very busy)