Your First Particle, HaHaHa (ははは)!
“If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Ha ha ha” can be translated in a few different ways. First, I could be laughing at you because you’re about to learn about Japanese particles. Another alternative (I like this one better) involves us laughing at the particles, either because they don’t have to be all that tough, or because we’ve been driven to insanity. The third and last translation would just be the particle は being said over and over again. はははははは！
Anyways, very nicely done making it to this point! Think of your first particle like your first born child. It’s a big step into “adult” Japanese life, and although it’s small, it’ll be pretty whiny. It may even keep you up at night with screams (your own screams… the particle は is a good sleeper), but you’ll do okay. Either way, it doesn’t matter too much, because we’re going to tackle these suckers… and maybe kick them while they’re down, if the refs aren’t looking.
When you’ve learned how to use the particle は, though, you’ll be able to talk a little more like an adult (whereas before our sentences were pretty short and sort of caveman-like). So, what’re you waiting for? Let’s get started and learn the particle は.