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の and は question.

Joe
Asked 4 months ago

 

So I'm working on the Genki 1 book and workbook. In the workbook I'm asked to translate some stuff into Japanese and the one I'm struggling with is... My major is Japanese. I translated it as わたしのせんこうはにほんごです。I know this to be correct because I checked it with the answer key but I'm not 100% sure as to why it's correct. の connects two nouns and in this case it connects My and major right? は is a topic marker so the topic of this sentence is Japanese. But why is there a の between My and major but not major and Japanese? I'm just not understanding it...

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2 Answers

3
Votes
+750

Hi Joe! The particles の and は have different meanings and are used differently.

The の particle can be used in 2 ways with the particle は ;

1. To show possession/ belonging. It is similar to 's in English.

E.g. これはわたしのペンです。This is my pen. 

       ﾄﾓﾊさんはABCのしゃいんです。Tomoha is an ABC employee.

2. N1 explains what N2 is about 

E.g. これはコンピューターのほんです。This is a book on computers.

If you can notice は particle serves an important role to mark the topic of the sentence and to let know the listener what you are talking about. If you're going to use の between senkou and nihongo just like わたしのせんこうのにほんご, the meaning will be changed to My Japanese's major. It becomes a dependent clause that does not express a complete thought. 

I hope this helps you understand how to use both of them in a sentence. If you have any questions, please let me know. Good luck with your studies, Joeさん!

Anji
Answered 4 months ago

Thank you for the reply! I think I have a very basic understanding about it and it will get easier as I go. I do have another question since you offered. So in an attempt at trying to use は and の I am trying to say I am a first year student at Lane Community College. For this I would do 私はいちねんせいがくせのLane Community College.　Would that be correct? The first は connects I am and first year student. の is letting people know what I want them to focus on or what the main point is in this sentence correct?

Joe
Commented 4 months ago

0
Votes

For your next question, the correct word order is 

       わたしは Lane Community College のいちねんせいです。

        I am a first year student at Lane Community College. Or (I am Lane Community College’s student.)

It’s similar with the first example above about Tomoha. Also, there’s no need to say がくせい anymore since いちねんせい means 1st year student already. Hope this make sense. ;) 

Anji
Answered 4 months ago