Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha haha ni hana wo purezentosimasu. - I will give flowers to my mother as a present.

So 私　は　… sets “I” as the topic of the sentence.
In English we usually just say “I”, but in Japanese you often mark what you’re talking about with は.

Also, once the topic is clear from context, Japanese speakers often drop 私 entirely and just say:

母に花をプレゼントします。
(I’ll give my mother flowers.)

The subject “I” is understood from context.

Why doesn’t the sentence say 私の母 (“my mother”)? Why just 母?

In Japanese, when you talk about your own family, it’s common to omit 私の and just say the kinship word:

母 literally = “mother,” but in context often means “my mother”
父 = (my) father
姉 = (my) older sister, etc.

So 私の母に花をプレゼントします is grammatically correct, but in everyday Japanese it feels a bit redundant and is usually shortened to 母に花をプレゼントします.

Context usually makes it clear whose mother is being referred to; if not, you’d then add 私の.

What’s the difference between 母, お母さん, and 母さん?

These all relate to “mother,” but usage is different:

母（はは）
- Used when talking about your own mother to someone outside your family.
- More formal / neutral.
- You normally do not use this to address your mother directly.
お母さん（おかあさん）
- Polite / honorific form.
- Used when talking about someone else’s mother.
- Also used to address your own mother:
  - 「お母さん、ただいま。」= “Mom, I’m home.”
母さん（かあさん）
- Less formal, often used to address your own mother (like “Mom”).
- Can feel more casual / colloquial.

In this sentence, 私は母に花をプレゼントします, 母 means “(my) mother” when talking about her to someone else.

Why is に used after 母? What does に mean here?

に here marks the indirect object or recipient of the action – the person to whom something is given.

母に = “to (my) mother”
The pattern is: giver (私) + recipient (母に) + thing (花を) + giving verb

So 母に花をプレゼントします = “(I) will present flowers to my mother.”

In this use, に roughly corresponds to English “to” (in the sense of “give X to Y”).

Could I use へ instead of に, as in 母へ花をプレゼントします?

You can say 母へ花をプレゼントします, but there’s a nuance difference:

母に
- Standard for marking the recipient of giving.
- Focuses on “who receives it.”
母へ
- Literally “toward mother.”
- Often used with letters, messages, gifts sent over distance (“to Mom”).
- Emphasizes the direction / destination more than the pure recipient role.

For a neutral “give my mother flowers,” 母に花をプレゼントします is the most typical.
母へ is more like “To Mom” as you might write on a card or envelope.

What does を do after 花?

を is the direct object marker. It marks the thing that directly receives the action of the verb.

花 = flower(s)
花を = “flower(s)” as the thing being given

Pattern:

X をプレゼントします = “(I) present/give X.”

So in 母に花をプレゼントします,
花を = “flower(s) (as the thing I give).”

Can I change the order of 母に and 花を? For example, 花を母にプレゼントします?

Yes, 花を母にプレゼントします is grammatically correct.

Basic / neutral order: 母に花をプレゼントします
Alternative: 花を母にプレゼントします

Because particles (に, を) show each word’s role, Japanese word order is more flexible than English.
However:

母に花をプレゼントします sounds more natural and common.
花を母にプレゼントします can slightly emphasize 花 (the thing being given), like “The flowers, I’ll give them to my mother.”

Both are fine; the original is the most typical word order.

What tense is プレゼントします? Does it mean “I present,” “I will present,” or “I am presenting”?

プレゼントします is the polite non-past form. In Japanese, this form covers:

Simple present: “(I) present / give (generally, regularly)”
Future: “(I) will present / will give”

The exact meaning depends on context:

Talking about a habit:
- 母の誕生日には、毎年花をプレゼントします。
  → “On my mother’s birthday, I give her flowers every year.”
Talking about a future plan:
- 明日、母に花をプレゼントします。
  → “Tomorrow, I’ll give my mother flowers.”

If you want past tense, you change it to:

プレゼントしました = “(I) presented / gave (in the past).”

Why is プレゼント in katakana, and how does it work with します?

プレゼント is a loanword from English “present” (gift), so it’s written in katakana, which is used for foreign words.

On its own:

プレゼント = a “present / gift” (a noun)

When you add する / します, it becomes a verb:

プレゼントする = to present / to give (as a present)
プレゼントします = polite form: “(I) will give (as a present).”

So in the sentence:

花をプレゼントします literally = “(I) will do a present of flowers” → “I will give flowers as a present.”

Could I use あげます instead of プレゼントします? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can use あげます, which is a common verb for “give (to someone).”

母に花をあげます。 = “I will give my mother flowers.”

Differences:

プレゼントします
- Slight nuance of “give as a present / gift.”
- Uses a loanword; sounds a bit “present-like” or occasion-like.
あげます
- Very general “to give (upwards/outwards)” verb.
- Used for giving things to others in many contexts, not necessarily a “present” situation.

Both are correct; プレゼントします emphasizes the “gift” feeling more.

Can elements like 私, 母, or 花 be omitted in real conversation?

Yes. Japanese often omits information that’s clear from context.

Depending on context, you might say:

(私は) 母に花をプレゼントします。
- Drop 私 if “I” is obvious.
(私は) 母に(花を)プレゼントします。
- Sometimes you drop 花を if the thing being given is already known:
  - A: 何を買ったの？ (“What did you buy?”)
  - B: 母にプレゼントします。 (“I’ll give it to my mother.”)
(私は) (母に) 花をプレゼントします。
- Dropping 母に only works if the recipient is super clear in context.

But in a standalone example sentence where you want to clearly show grammar, keeping 私は母に花をプレゼントします is ideal.

Does 花 here mean one flower or many flowers? How do you show number in Japanese?

花 by itself is number-neutral:

It can mean “a flower” or “flowers”, depending on context.

Japanese often leaves number vague unless it matters. If you want to be explicit:

１本の花をプレゼントします。
→ “I’ll give (her) one flower.” (本 is a counter for long, cylindrical things like stems.)
花を何本かプレゼントします。
→ “I’ll give her a few flowers.”
たくさんの花をプレゼントします。
→ “I’ll give her a lot of flowers.”

In the original sentence, it’s simply “flower(s)” with no specified number.

How polite is 私は母に花をプレゼントします? Are there more or less polite versions?

プレゼントします is the polite -ます form, so the whole sentence is:

Polite / neutral for most everyday situations.
Appropriate for talking to teachers, coworkers, acquaintances, etc.

Other levels:

Less formal / casual:
- 私は母に花をプレゼントする。
- Drop ます and use dictionary form する.
More polite / humble (toward the mother or listener):
- 母に花をプレゼントいたします。 (humble form of する)
- 母に花を差し上げます。 (polite giving verb used when you give to someone “above” you)

For most learner contexts, 私は母に花をプレゼントします is a good, standard polite sentence.