kono kikai wa furui desu ga, mada tsukaemasu.

This machine is old, but it can still be used.

Breakdown of kono kikai wa furui desu ga, mada tsukaemasu.

• は: topic particle
• です: to be
• この: this
• が: conjunction particle

Questions & Answers about kono kikai wa furui desu ga, mada tsukaemasu.

Why is は used after 機械?

は marks 機械 as the topic of the sentence.

So この機械は means:

• as for this machine
• this machine, ...

The sentence is not just identifying the machine; it is making a comment about it:

• この機械は = as for this machine
• 古いですが、まだ使えます = it is old, but it can still be used

A very literal breakdown is:

• この機械は = as for this machine
• 古いです = is old
• が = but
• まだ = still
• 使えます = can be used / can use

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What does が mean here? Is it the same が as the subject marker?