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So I have this book, "Easy Japanese, A Direct Learning Approach for Immediate
Communication".

I notice that は is often omitted in sentences.

So instead of saying:

猫はどこですか。

It might read:

猫どこですか。

Is the omitting of は valid? It definitely would seem like the sentence is
still easy to understand without the は. And I've sometimes felt that the は can
start to feel repetitive, so I'd be happy to know if I can omit the は at
times.

But would the Japanese actually speak this way? Because if not I want to avoid
such a habit.
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2013-07-10T03:29:53.997
12318
2013-07-10T03:35:17.157
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question
grammar particles particle-は
Can はbe omitted as a shortcut in speech?
Yes, it is often omitted. Many particles are omitted at various times in
casual speech.

However...

If you want my two cents on the subject, you should probably try to stick to
the rules as much as possible while you are a beginner (I'm going on the
assumption that you are) because breaking the rules is a really nuanced thing
that can sound strange if you don't have a solid understanding of where, when,
why, and how it's done. Learn where you can and can't take shortcuts as much
as possible through exposure to real Japanese, and please try not to form any
habits except correct speech until you're comfortable enough to experiment
with it. I can't tell you how many incredibly awkward conversations I've had
with people learning English who are desperate to use slang and various
English contractions and just sound strange in the process.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-10T03:35:17.157
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2013-07-10T03:35:17.157
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answer