Can the topic marker は be used twice in a sentence? For example, かれは日本語はいいですね。
Is that right?
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2012-08-02T10:36:54.940
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2015-09-30T11:06:28.457
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particles
Can the particle は be used twice?
Yes. As long as there is no more than one neutral topic and the rest are
contrastive.
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2012-08-02T14:18:43.700
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Particle は is quite versatile and flexible, which implies, for foreigners
(外{がい}人{じん}), a quite slow learning curve. One of the many possible usages of
this particle is the one devoted to underline and express contrast. I guess it
is the only possible (common and regular) context where you will find two は
particles in the same sentence.

I am going to describe classic situations, but please consider that more
complex examples are possible.

## Contrast on subjects

Please look at the following pattern:

> (Subject-1)は(Sentence-1)[が|けど|けれども|...]、(Subject-2)は(Sentence-2)

Here are some examples:

> 1) あの、僕は出来ないけど、ケンちゃんは出来るよ！彼に聞いたほうがいいと思う〜 => Well, I am the one who cannot do
> that, Ken-chan can sure do it! You better ask him I think!
>
> 2) ミナト先生は知っているんだけど、フジヤマ先生は知らないと思う！ => Minato-sensei knows it, it's Fujijama-
> sensei the one who doesn't know I think

## Contrast of objects

Take a look at this pattern as well:

> (Sentence-1-Part1)(Object-1)は(Sentence-1-Part2)[が|けど|けれども|...]、
> (Sentence-2-Part1)(Object-2)は(Sentence-2-Part2)

Here are some examples:

> 1) イタリア語は話せないんですが、韓国語は話せますよ！ => I cannot speak Italian, but I can speak
> Korean
>
> 2) チェスは出来るけど、囲碁は出来ない！ => I can play Chess, but I cannot play Go!
>
> 3) えと、ペンは持って来た、カバンは持って来ていない〜 => Well, I brought a pen, I didn't bring a
> backpack

As you can see, this should be the only case to have two particles は. My
sensei as school told me that sometimes Japanese people use the particle in
other situations, but it sound slangish or quite strange. So, for a good
language usage, you should avoid repeating particle は (unless you need to put
emphasis on some contrast).
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2012-11-20T20:54:27.477
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2012-11-20T20:54:27.477
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Lots of people are saying that you can have は twice in a sentence, but used as
a particle, you cannot. は Is used to show where the subject of the sentence
is. My Japanese teacher is from Japan and this is what she taught us, so the
answer to your question is no, you cannot have は twice in your sentence (when
used as a particle).
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2015-09-30T00:41:42.287
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2015-09-30T00:41:42.287
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