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I was translating this sentence:I saw the famous doctor
I thought the correct answer was: ゆうめいな いしゃ は みました
But in the answers it says, the correct answer is: ゆうめいな いしゃ を みました
Can someone explain why the ‘wo’ particle is used here.
P.S. I am a beginner at Japanese, been studying for about 2 – 3 weeks now.
Thanks you
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This topic was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by
Sanjay Soekhoe.
When you use は between a noun and a verb, は tells you who or what is doing the thing. When you use the particle を instead then it tells to what (or who) the verb is done.
Please not that when を is used as an particle (as in this case) it is pronounced like an お.So
「ゆうめいな いしゃ は みました」= “The famous doctor saw.”
Because the は particle tells you who is doing the action.「ゆうめいな いしゃ を みました」= “I saw the famous doctor”
Because the を particle tells you what the action was done to.If it isn’t obvious who is doing the action you can use は to tell it was you.
「わたし は ゆうめいな いしゃ を みました」= “I saw the famous doctor.”Japanese prefer not to tell who is doing things if it is obvious from context.
Another example of the difference between は and を.
「すし を たべます」= “I will eat sushi”
「すし は たべます」= “Sushi will eat” This don’t make sense because sushi can’t eat.Any questions?
This explanation is perfect! Thank you, I understand it now.
I’m glad to help.
It’s not entirely perfect, but correcting it at this point would just cause confusion, so I’ll leave it there. =P
Specifically, は (the topic marker) can replace を (the direct object marker) without issue. So すしは食べます means something like “sushi is what I will eat” – that is, the emphasis of the sentence goes on the sushi. The subject of the sentence – that is to say, the doer of the verb – is marked by が, but since は often takes its place (in the same way that it can replace を) you don’t often see it in simple sentences, but don’t confuse the topic with the subject. The particle は marks what the sentence is about, which usually tends to be the doer of the verb, but isn’t always.
You are right Joel. It caused confusion. At least to me.
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This topic was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by
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