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〜は〜が

A's B is… (describing a feature)

Topic は + part / aspect が + adjective

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A very common shape: the topic with は, then a part or aspect of it with が, then an adjective. 象は鼻が長い, "elephants have long trunks", is literally "as for elephants, the trunk is long".

は sets up who or what you're talking about; が picks out the feature. So 田中さんは背が高い is "Mr Tanaka is tall" (as for him, height is high).

English folds this into "has" or a single adjective, so learners reach for の: 田中さんの背が高い. That's grammatical, but it's a statement about the height, not about Tanaka.

The same pattern gives you 私は頭が痛い, "I have a headache", and この町は人が多い, "this town is crowded".

Examples

  • 象ぞうは鼻はなが長ながいです。

    Elephants have long trunks.

  • 田中たなかさんは背せが高たかいです。

    Mr Tanaka is tall.

  • 今日きょうは頭あたまが痛いたいです。

    I have a headache today.

  • この町まちは人ひとが多おおいです。

    This town is crowded.

  • 姉あねは髪かみが長ながいです。

    My older sister has long hair.

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