<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='849'>私（わたし）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span>トム<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='972'>あなた</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span>ジム<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='73'>カレンダー</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='577'>必要（ひつよう）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='849'>私（わたし）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='24' data-vocab-id='579'>忙（いそが）しい</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='792'>玄関（げんかん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='24 data-vocab-id='665'>暗（くら）い</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='643'>明日（あした）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='674'>月曜日（げつようび）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='1061'>鞄（かばん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='24' data-vocab-id='743'>汚（きたな）い</span></span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='367'>公園（こうえん）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='24 data-vocab-id='548'>広（ひろ）い</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='564'>彼（かれ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='831'>真面目（まじめ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='755'>海（うみ）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='882'>綺麗（きれい）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

宮崎駿（みやざきはやお）<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='113'>さん</span><strong><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span></strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='677'>有名（ゆうめい）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

トム<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'><strong>は</strong></span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='358'>先生（せんせい）</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。

Very thorough breakdown of は and が - Page 299

は vs. が quick breakdown and comparison

<div class='writeup-body'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> (pronounced わ) is often considered to be one of the most difficult particles to master in Japanese, alongside <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>. <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> marks the topic of the sentence, and describes the whole sentence broadly. However, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span> primarily marks single actions or statements. We will explore this distinction in more detail when covering <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>田中さん<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>先生<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Tanaka-san is a teacher. (Broadly speaking, not compared to anything)</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>トム<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='2'>です</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I am Tom. (Broadly speaking, not compared to anything)</div></li></ul>In many sentences (especially short ones), either <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> or <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span> would be considered perfectly natural.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>カレー<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>辛（から）い。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Curry is spicy. (Broadly speaking, not compared to anything)</div></li> <li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私（わたし）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>、ワインが嫌（きら）い。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I dislike wine. (Specifically wine)</div></li> </ul>In the first sentence, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> broadly describes what the sentence is about. In the second sentence, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> again describes the whole sentence, but <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span> highlights one specific piece of information.<div class='writeup-caution'><div class='caution-header'>Caution</div><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> cannot be used to describe things that you are seeing or experiencing 'in the moment' (right now). This is due to 'in the moment' events being considered part of a larger experience (your whole day for example).<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>今（いま）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>テスト。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I have a test now. (Slightly unnatural, as the test is happening 'right now')</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>今日（きょう）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>、雨（あめ）。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>It will rain today. (Natural, as rain is a fairly broad event)</div></li></ul></div><div class='writeup-caution'><div class='caution-header'>Caution</div><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> has 2 main functions. The first marks the topic of the sentence, the second is used for contrast or making comparisons. Although there are no 'strict' rules for this, when <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> is used toward (or after) the middle of a sentence, it will usually have the nuance of contrast.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私（わたし）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>、金曜日（きんようび）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>好（す）き。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I like Fridays. (Focus is on Friday)</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私（わたし）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>、金曜日（きんようび）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span>好（す）き。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I like Fridays. (Focus is on the comparison to other days)</div></li></ul>In the second sentence, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='3'>は</span> will give the listener the impression that there is a comparison being made.</div></div>

Grammar Info

は

As for... (Highlights sentence topic)