how to know when to say "ha" or "wa" with は


it is going to be the end of week 3 in learning japanese and i've noticed how
sometimes in sentences the hiragana は can sound like "wa" as well, why is this
so? And also when do i know when to say "wa" instead of "ha"?

from alexa the learner ^_^




It's only pronounced as 'wa' when used as a particle. Such places include:

noun+は

のは

では

ではない

ではありません

other things + は + ない

Also, curiously, in こんにちは. Not sure whether it was originally a particle there
or not.

My list is probably not exhaustive but hopefully you get the idea. I wouldn't
worry about it too much. With a little time it will become obvious to you
which pronunciation to use.

Please comment if you have additional uses which remain confusing.




One uses は and pronounces it as 'wa' when one brings up a new topic or in
general when using it as a particle.

In other cases, e.g. when は is in a word, it is pronounced as 'ha'.

I hope I helped you :)

