tsuma wa tomodachi to issho ni ryourikyoushitsu ni kayoihajimemashita.

topic particle

Breakdown of tsuma wa tomodachi to issho ni ryourikyoushitsu ni kayoihajimemashita.

• に: destination particle
• 友とも達だち: friend
• と: companion particle

Questions & Answers about tsuma wa tomodachi to issho ni ryourikyoushitsu ni kayoihajimemashita.

Why does the sentence start with 妻は and not 私の妻は? How do we know it means my wife?

In Japanese, when you talk about your own close family (wife, husband, parents, children, etc.), the possessor is usually omitted if it’s obvious from context.

So:

• 妻は…
  is naturally understood as “My wife …” when you are the speaker.

Saying 私の妻は… is not wrong, but sounds more formal or explanatory, for example in a presentation about your family or when you need to make it extra clear whose wife you’re talking about.

In casual or normal conversation, 妻は already implies “my wife” unless the context clearly indicates someone else’s wife.

What is the difference between 妻は and 妻が here? Could I say 妻が友達と一緒に…?

Both are grammatically possible, but the nuance changes:

• 妻は友達と一緒に料理教室に通い始めました。

  • は marks the topic: As for my wife, (she) started going…
  • The focus is on what’s happening with your wife. It sounds like you are giving information about her in a broader context.

• 妻が友達と一緒に料理教室に通い始めました。

  • が marks the subject with more focus: It’s my wife who started going…
  • This can sound like you’re identifying who did it, possibly in contrast to someone else (e.g. not me, not my daughter, but my wife).

In everyday narration about your family, 妻は is more natural if you’re just updating someone on what your wife has started doing.

What exactly does 通い始めました mean? How is it formed?