日本語の道
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は

は marks the topic: “as for…”

Set up what you're talking about, then say something about it.
要点The idea
は means “as for X…”: it sets the topic, and the rest of the sentence comments on it.
As a particle, は is pronounced wa. It sits outside the core sentence: it doesn't say who does what, it says what we're talking about.
私(わたし)わたし は 学生(がくせい)がくせい です。watashi wa gakusei desu.I'm a student.As for me: (I) am a student.
今日(きょう)きょう は 暑(あつ)あつい です ね。kyou wa atsui desu ne.It's hot today, isn't it?The topic doesn't have to be a person. As for today: hot.
この 本(ほん)ほん は 面白(おもしろ)おもしろい です。kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.This book is interesting.
日曜日(にちようび)にちようび は 休(やす)やすみ です。nichiyoubi wa yasumi desu.Sunday is my day off.

The topic and the subject can be different

Aこの 町(まち)まち は 静(しず)しずか です。kono machi wa shizuka desu.This town is quiet.
Bこの 町(まち)まち は 緑(みどり)みどり が 多(おお)おおい です。kono machi wa midori ga ooi desu.This town has a lot of greenery.Topic: this town. Core sentence: greenery is plentiful.
In A, the town is both the topic and the (unsaid) subject. In B the topic sets the stage, and the core sentence has its own subject: as for this town, greenery is plentiful.
  1. A
    趣味(しゅみ)しゅみ は 何(なん)なん です か？shumi wa nan desu ka?What are your hobbies?
  2. B
    料理(りょうり)りょうり です。ryouri desu.Cooking.
Once the topic is set, Japanese drops it: B doesn't repeat 趣味(しゅみ)しゅみは, because the topic carries over.

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