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For example:

> 肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べません。
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2015-03-21T01:16:10.777
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2015-03-21T07:37:14.313
2015-03-21T07:37:14.313
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question
grammar particles particle-は particle-を
Why can は and を sometimes be used interchangeably?
は and を can be interchangeable when it is put **after** object, but there are
some exceptions.

The most typical usage of を indicate the word is object. **すしを** 食べません。 means
私は **すしを** 食べません。 which can be translated as "I don't eat **sushi**."

And the most typical usage of は is to indicate the word is subject. **私は**
すしを食べません。 means **I** don't eat sushi.

は also can be used to indicate the word is object. But it sounds like there is
an exception. So if you say 私は **すしは** たべません。, it doesn't simply means "I
don't eat sushi", but it sounds like there are some food you can eat.

By the way, you also can say 私は **寿司も** 食べません。, and it sounds like there are
more similar example like sushi you don't eat.

Here are some examples:

  1. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べません。 (good)
  2. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べません。 (good)
  3. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べません。 (wrong)
  4. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べません。 (acceptable)
  5. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べません。 (good)
  6. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べません。 (wrong)
  7. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べません。 (wrong)
  8. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べません。 (wrong)
  9. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べません。 (wrong)

As you can see, 1, 2, 5 are good because you eat 肉, but すし。, and these 2
objects are exceptions. Using "も" is wrong in these sentences because you are
talking about two different foods you eat and don't. も sounds like there are
more example, not exception. You could say like 4, sounds like you have 肉 and
すし right front of you and you declared to eat 肉 but すし.

Here are some more example in case you eat both:

  1. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べます。(wrong)
  2. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べます。(wrong)
  3. 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べます。(wrong)
  4. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べます。(wrong)
  5. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べます。(not too good)
  6. 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べます。(good)
  7. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べます。(wrong)
  8. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **を** 食べます。(not too good)
  9. 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べます。(good)

Using は is wrong in those sentences because you eat both 肉 and すし, there are
no exceptions here. You should use "も" at least last sentence to indicate 肉
and すし are the same thing you can eat. You could say like 5 and 8, but it
doesn't sounds like you are just talking about what kind of food you eat, but
it sounds like you declared to eat sushi right now, and you eat 肉 later.

Why the meaning of the 5 and 8 have changed? That's because when you say
"私はすしを食べます。", it is usually talking about what you usually do, but it also can
describe what you are about to do, depending on the situation. And 5 and 8 are
grammatically strange if you assume it is talking about what you usually do,
but what you are about to do. That is what native speakers feel, but you don't
have to concern too much about the idea of 5 and 8.

Note that も also can be used two examples that you DON'T do. 私は肉 **を**
食べませんが、すし **も** 食べません。 私は肉 **も** 食べませんが、すし **も** 食べません。

In a conclusion, I recommend you to use を right next to a object. But if you
want to talk about two or more than two objects, you also should use も or は,
depending on the situation. If the 2 objects are the same thing, you should
use を or も at the first sentence, and you should use も at the second sentence.

  * 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べます。
  * 私は肉 **も** 食べますが、すし **も** 食べます。

  * 私は肉 **を** 食べませんが、すし **も** 食べません。

  * 私は肉 **も** 食べませんが、すし **も** 食べません。

If the 2 objects are the two different things you should use を or は at the
first sentence, and you should use は at the second sentence.

  * 私は肉 **を** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べません。
  * 私は肉 **は** 食べますが、すし **は** 食べません。
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2015-03-21T03:15:07.030
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answer