So I saw this sentence: `きのう初めておすしをたべました。` And wondered if the は is just being
left out. Does the sentence change any if は is added in? Like so:
`きのうは初めておすしをたべました。`
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2012-11-07T19:24:48.220
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2016-05-22T06:56:29.107
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particles particle-は
Does the lack of は change the sentence?
I'll venture to say that adding the は simply emphasizes yesterday. Without it
it just feels like the fact that it was yesterday is a little less important.
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2012-11-09T00:24:58.833
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2012-11-09T00:24:58.833
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There is no grammatical need for は in that sentence.

は is used for topic/comment constructions and this sentence isn't making a
comment on the topic of "yesterday" at all.
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2012-11-09T05:53:02.873
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2012-11-09T05:53:02.873
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I think this は is a "topical は" or "contrastive は". 昨日初めてお寿司を食べました sounds to
me like you're just reporting that you ate sushi for the first time the day
before, and 昨日"は"初めてお寿司を食べました sounds to me like "Speaking of yesterday, I ate
sushi for the first time," (probably someone's just asked what you did
yesterday, like 昨日、どこに行ったの? or 昨日、京都で何したの？etc.), or "(The day before yesterday
I went to eat sukiyaki, and) as for yesterday, I ate sushi for the first
time".
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2012-11-13T13:15:44.083
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2016-05-22T06:56:29.107
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answer