Japanese

<p>
	We've already learned that the particle <strong>は</strong> is used to mark the topic of a sentence.
	Apart from this usage, <strong>は</strong> is also used as a contrast marker.
</p>

<p>
	You can use the particle <strong>は</strong> as a contrast marker by using it multiple times.
</p>

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<p>
	Note that in the sentence above, <ruby>馬uma</ruby> and <ruby>犬inu</ruby> are subjects of the clauses they're in.
	But to emphasize the contrast, <strong>は</strong> is used instead of the subject marker <strong>が</strong>.
	We cannot use the particle <strong>は</strong> after the particle <strong>が</strong>.
	The contrast marker <strong>は</strong> can also not be combined with the object marker <strong>を</strong>,
	and therefore also replaces it if we want to contrast two objects.
</p>

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<p>
	Note that <strong>は</strong>'s role as contrast marker is consistent with its role as topic marker,
	as there are multiple topics that are talked about:
	as for <strong>A</strong> it is <strong>X</strong>, as for <strong>B</strong> it is <strong>Y</strong>.
</p>

<p>
	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.
</p>

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The contrast marker は

hiragana character

kanji

adnominal

adverb

auxiliary

conjunction

compound

i-adjective

interjection

noun

na-adjective

numeral

particle

case particle

conjunctive particle

discourse particle

prefix

pronoun

suffix

verb

sentence

hiragana writing

kanji writing

kanji component

reading vocabulary

katakana writing

katakana character

godan - group 1

itidan - group 2

group 3

transitive

intransitive

proper noun

discourse

phrase

expression

Word	メアリー　は、　好すき　だ。mearii ha, suki da.
Meaning	As for Mary, I like her.
Part of speech	sentence
Pronunciation
Course	Japanese
Lesson	The contrast marker は

topic particle	はha
liked; likeable; loved; lovable	好すきsuki
to be	だda
Mary	メアリーmearii

mearii ha, suki da.

Note

Breakdown of mearii ha, suki da.

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