がとは

[ly2kutd1552]

So I was listening to the Japanese for Everyday Life series and discovered something that got me a little confused.

In the lesson, Asking for a different size at a clothing store, this sentence comes up as

Do you have a larger size?
もうひとつ上のサイズはありますか？

However, I've always learned to say it as
もうひとつ上のサイズがありますか？

Is は more natural in this case?
I've always used が when あるand いる appear in a sentence.
For eg. すみません、田中さんがいますか？

[adelholtz_499460]

こんばんわ

as i understand it:

は is the topic marker particle; its used to either bring up a new topic which refers to the object coming before the topic marker or say that and object is smth. Like: A wa B desu
が is the subject/identifier particle; it's used to point out/identify a specific property of something or make smth clear

Generally:
if you already know the topic you are speaking about you use は
you use が when a situation is newly introduced

So the sentence would be correct:
もうひとつ上のサイズはありますか

however. if you want to ask if a specific thing is available/exists:
(item)がありますか

Another example would be:

私は学生。
As for me, (I am) student.
私が学生。
I (am) the one (that is) student.

So in this case you use が to distinguish yourself as the one beeing the student (maybe someone asked: who is the student?)

I hope i got this right ^^
If not please correct me.

additionally look here: http://www.japanesepod101.com/2007/07/1 ... yle-you-2/
you will find a really good explanation from Yuki 由紀せんせい in the comments

[community.japanese]

Ly2kutd1552 san,
The question is often asked.
I can understand it’s a difficult point for learners.
Go to the page which adelhltz san told you and if you don’t understand that clearly, please ask us again.

adelhltz san,
Thank you for the help.

Yuki　由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com

[thegooseking]

Ly2kutd1552さん,

This is indeed complicated. The key is that you're talking about another one (もうひとつ) that is larger. Therefore, the one that you're talking about is being compared to the one that's right in front of you.

As a general rule, if you're making a comparison like this, you change はto が. But in a case like this, where you would normally already use が anyway (i.e. before あります), you change が to は for a comparison. Basically, if you're making a comparison, は and が get flipped around.

What adelholtzさん said is mostly correct (even if it's not the particular reason for using は here), but I do want to pick up on one point: Using が to introduce something for the first time is correct, but it's really more used in writing than conversation.

Hope that helps,
小狼

[community.japanese]

小狼さん、

Thank you for the help.

Yuki　由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com