Learn Japanese
Lesson 211: The contrast marker は
We've already learned that the particle は is used to mark the topic of a sentence. Apart from this usage, は is also used as a contrast marker.
You can use the particle は as a contrast marker by using it multiple times.
| I don't like horses, but I like dogs. |
馬は好きじゃないが、犬は好きよ。 uma ha suki zya nai ga, inu ha suki yo. |
Note that in the sentence above, 馬 and 犬 are subjects of the clauses they're in. But to emphasize the contrast, は is used instead of the subject marker が. We cannot use the particle は after the particle が. The contrast marker は can also not be combined with the object marker を, and therefore also replaces it if we want to contrast two objects.
| (I) did not buy a game. (I) bought a notebook. |
ゲームは買わなかった。ノートは買った。 geemu ha kawanakatta. nooto ha katta. |
Note that は's role as contrast marker is consistent with its role as topic marker, as there are multiple topics that are talked about: as for A it is X, as for B is it Y.
This becomes even more apparent in the following sentences, which show that the contrast marker does not need to be used multiple times in a sentence, and that making something the topic is already inherently contrasting it with other things that are not the topic.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| horse |
馬 uma |
| I don't like horses, but I like dogs. |
馬は好きじゃないが、犬は好きよ。 uma ha suki zya nai ga, inu ha suki yo. |
| (I) did not buy a game. (I) bought a notebook. |
ゲームは買わなかった。ノートは買った。 geemu ha kawanakatta. nooto ha katta. |
| As for Mary, I like her. |
メアリーは、好きだ。 mearii ha, suki da. May imply there's someone else I don't like. |
| As for the house, I bought it. |
家は、買いました。 ie ha, kaimasita. Points attention to the house, in contrast to the previous topic talked about. |