The Ultimate Guide to Basic Japanese Particles
Japanese particles are the small, non-translatable words that tell the function of other words in a sentence.
This section may be the hardest for you to grasp, but reading and re-reading the example sentences should help with understanding. Listen to the sound files, memorize the examples and, just keep in mind, it will get easier with time.
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が
ABOUT:
■ が usually indicates what would be the subject of a sentence in English. We say usually because sometimes that task is covered by the particle は (pronounced wa) and with certain verbs, が is used after what would be the direct object in English!
Here are a few ways in which が is used:
- が identifies specific or new information
- が is used after question words
- が is the subject of subordinate clauses
- が is used after the direct object of verbs that describe desire or ability
How to Use:
■ New Information: When the subject gives the listener new information, use が.
Here is an example where we introduce a cat with が but switch to は when the cat becomes the topic:
昨日、猫がいた。
Translation and Vocabulary
その猫は、茶色だった。
Translation and Vocabulary
In the first sentence, the cat, as new information, is introduced with a が. The cat is the subject and answers the unspoken question, "What was there yesterday?" But it is not the topic of the conversation yet. If anything, the "topic" is "yesterday." You are simply establishing the fact there was a cat.
In the second sentence, the cat is now being described particularly and therefore, it is the topic of the conversation.
Now that the cat is labeled as the topic, you don't have to keep mentioning the cat.
For example, this might be the next sentence:
可愛かった。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Question Words take が: When question words like 何 (what), だれ (who), or どこ (where) are the subject, they always take が.
何 (what)
だれ (who)
どこ (where)
だれがケーキを食べた?
Translation and Vocabulary
何がほしい?
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Use が for Subordinate Clauses: Since a subordinate clause is apart from the topic (は), use が unless there is a contrast. The が essentially becomes the "subject" of the clause.
私は、ビルがいたことを知らなかった。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Direct Object が: が marks the object of verbs that show desire or ability
私は、猫が好きです。
Translation and Vocabulary
In English, what we would consider the subject (I) is actually the topic. What follows relates to this topic (whatever the topic—I—likes). And what we would consider the object (cats) could be thought of as the subject of the verb.
This happens with verbs or adjectives that show desire, ability, or possibility. You could still think of it as "subject of the clause" though. For example, 私は、猫が好きです could be thought of as "The cat (subject) is likeable to me." But it's probably less confusing to think of it as a "direct object marker after verbs that show desire or ability."
Some common transitive verbs/adjectives that usually take が are:
好き (to like)
あなたが好きです。
Translation and Vocabulary
嫌い (dislike)
私は、牛乳が嫌いです。
Translation and Vocabulary
ほしい (to want)
日本の車がほしいです。
Translation and Vocabulary
できる (to be able to)
スコットは、日本語ができます。
Translation and Vocabulary
MAIN POINTS:
■ Use が for new information
■ Question words take が instead of は
■ Use が with subordinate clauses
■ が is used with some transitive verbs (takes an object) that show desire or ability even though the word it marks would be considered a direct object.
は
ABOUT:
■ As mentioned previously, は and が are very similar. There are three main uses for は as a particle: marking the topic, showing contrast, and adding emphasis (especially to the predicate).
Study Notes:
■ Oftentimes you can think of は as "as for …" or "speaking of …"
How to Use:
■ Marks the Topic: Use は to mark the topic of what the rest of the sentence is about or describing. This is normally placed at the beginning of the sentence.
私は、サムです。アメリカから来ました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Adds Emphasis and Contrast: Use は to show contrast.
ペンをもっていますか?
Translation and Vocabulary
ペンはあります。でもノートがありません。
Translation and Vocabulary
The contrasting は can be thought of as "I don't know about other things, but as for …"
When は is used for contrast or emphasis, it is usually in place of が or を.
Two more examples showing contrast:
彼は赤が好きだが、私は赤は嫌いだ。
Translation and Vocabulary
テレビは見ないが、映画は見る。
Translation and Vocabulary
Consider the following comparison between が and は:
すしが好きです。
Translation and Vocabulary
すしは好きです。
Translation and Vocabulary
MAIN POINTS:
■ は sets the overall topic, can show contrast, and can add emphasis.
■ は is mostly used for things the listener knows about. Therefore, question words (who, what, where…) cannot be used with は.
■ は takes over が when the subject is also the topic.
■ If there is a は and a が in the sentence, the は usually—but not always—goes first.
は~が
ABOUT:
■ Continuing our look at these two troublesome particles, here is perhaps the most common sentence construction in Japanese.
How to Use:
■AはBがC。
In this construction, C tells us something about B and B tells us something about A, since A is the overall topic.
私は、おなかがすきました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ When the listener knows the topic (A), the speaker can drop it since B and C are the core information.
おなかがすきました。
Translation and Vocabulary
Another example:
Translation and Vocabulary
MAIN POINTS:
■ は almost always comes first
■ は is usually dropped once the listener knows what the topic is.
を
ABOUT:
■ This is the direct object marker. It is usually spoken as "o" in modern Japanese although originally it was "wo." Some native speakers do sometimes voice the "w" today. But as a rule, pronounce it the same as お.
It is not, however, a substitute for お. を is only used (in modern Japanese) for the direct object marker.
How to Use:
■ Marks the Direct Object: In English, we don't have a particle that shows the direct object. A direct object is the object that a transitive verb acts upon.
A transitive verb is simply a verb that has an object. For example: I carried a book. ("Carried" is a transitive verb). Just saying "I carried" sounds incomplete. That's because it really needs an object.
私は、本を読みました。
Translation and Vocabulary
Study Notes:
■ Caution: This particle is pretty straightforward. Just put it after the direct object. The main exception is with some verbs, が or に replaces を after what would be the direct object in English.
私は、あなたが好きです。
Translation and Vocabulary
私は、あなたに会いたいです。
Translation and Vocabulary
MAIN POINTS:
■ を is almost always pronounced "o" in modern Japanese. But to type it on the keyboard, you'll need to press "wo."
■ を is replaced with が or に when certain verbs are used.
に
ABOUT:
■ This particle is used for several distinct purposes. As a simplification, you can say に is a time,
location and direction marker. It also shows what the indirect object is (who or what the action is directed to)
How to Use:
Here are a few of the most common uses for the versatile に.
■ Time: Use に to indicate times or dates in which something takes place.
朝の5時に起きます。
Translation and Vocabulary
日本の学校は、四月に始まります。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Location: Use に to indicate location of existence. In; at; on
ここに本があります。
Translation and Vocabulary
紙に絵を描きました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Direction or Movement Toward: Use に to show movement toward something. To; toward
東京に行きたいです。
Translation and Vocabulary
右にまがってください。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Indirect Object Marker: Use に after the object receiving the action. Think of it as "to" or "for."
私は、お父さんにケーキを買いました。
Translation and Vocabulary
先生は、生徒に日本語を教えました。
Translation and Vocabulary
で
ABOUT:
■ Like に, で has many uses and is equally important. We will look at で to indicate location and the use of something.
How to Use:
■ Indicates location: Use に for location of existence [ここにいる (I) am here.] but for other locations, で is used. "In," "at," "on"
日本で、勉強しました。
Translation and Vocabulary
本屋で、日本語の本を買いました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Indicates the use of something: Use で when using something to do something. "By," "using," "in," "from," "for"
車で、行きましょう。
Translation and Vocabulary
Translation and Vocabulary
へ
ABOUT:
■ へ indicates direction or movement toward a goal. Very often に can be used whenever へ is used.
How to Use:
■ Use へ after the location or goal the action is moving toward. To; towards
Examples:
Note: in the following examples, に could also be used.
日本へ行きたいです。
Translation and Vocabulary
友達へ手紙を書きました。
Translation and Vocabulary
と
ABOUT:
■ と is a particle that shows relationships. We will look at four different usages for this important particle. And; shows relationship; quotation marker; conditional: if then…
How to Use:
■ And: Using と for "and" indicates you have a full list of items. This shouldn't be used for open ended lists. Place it after each item in the list. The と after the last item is usually omitted but can be said.
私は、りんごとみかんを買いました。
Translation and Vocabulary
フランス語と英語が話せます。
Translation and Vocabulary
MAIN POINTS:
- Placed after each item.
- Usually omitted after the final item in the list.
- Used only with nouns and noun phrases (lists of things) and can't be used to combine sentences.
- Must be an exhaustive list (not open ended).
■ Shows a relationship: When someone does something with someone else or when something is paired with something else, use と. With; as; from
私は、ジムと映画を見ました。
Translation and Vocabulary
と is common with verbs that require two people or things to interact with each other. Verbs like 結婚する (to marry); 話す (to speak); 似る (to resemble); 喧嘩する (to argue)
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Conditional: Use と to show if this than that. If; when; upon doing so
洗濯をすると、雨がふります。
Translation and Vocabulary
説明書を読むと、すぐ分かります。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Quotation or sound marker: Use と to end quotes or set off sounds or ideas.
「おはよう」と、先生が言いました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Indirect Quotation It can also be used to close indirect quotations, internal thoughts, or sound effects.
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Adverbs - And it makes sound words into adverbs.
子供は、ぱたぱたと走りました。
Translation and Vocabulary
から
ABOUT:
■ から can show a starting point (from; since), indicate what happens after some point (having done that …), or express a reason (because of that).
How to Use:
■ A starting point: Used with time and locations. From; since
6時から7時まで。
Translation and Vocabulary
私は、アメリカから来ました。
Translation and Vocabulary
ここから駅までは近いです。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ What happens next: Since the starting point shows a state in the past, it is followed by how it changed.
信号は、赤から青に変わりました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Giving a Reason: から comes after the reason or cause and, if needed, is followed by the effect of that cause. Because; therefore; because of that
愛しているから。
Translation and Vocabulary
Translation and Vocabulary
まで
ABOUT:
■ まで shows an ending point. Until; as far as; up to
How to Use:
■ An ending point: Used with time and locations. Until; by; up to
Examples:
6時から7時まで。
Translation and Vocabulary
家まで10分かかります。
Translation and Vocabulary
私の車は、5人まで乗れます。
Translation and Vocabulary
も
ABOUT:
■ も means "too" or "also" but it has other slightly different usages: both A and B; even … (used for emphasis). Let's take a look.
How to Use:
■ Too; also; either: Use も after the word it modifies.
田中さんも行きます。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Both A and B: Use も after both included words.
私もあなたも行きます。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Even …: Use も after the word you wish to emphasize.
子供は、一つも人参を食べませんでした。
Translation and Vocabulary
It is often used to show surprise.
こんなに大きな船もあるんですか?
Translation and Vocabulary
Other Forms:
■ Some common words with も:
私も
me too
あなたも
you also
■ Here are a few common question words using this form of も:
誰も
no one
何も
nothing
か
ABOUT:
■ Most likely, one of the first things you learned about Japanese grammar was か is an end-sentence question marker. It is also used to show alternatives and suggest uncertainty.
How to Use:
■ Question Marker: Used to indicate a question.
今、何時ですか。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Suggests Uncertainty: か is added to question words to show uncertainty. some~ : いつか someday; どこか somewhere; 何か something
いつか、日本のどこかに行きたいです。
Translation and Vocabulary
Other Forms:
■ One common expression is かどうか (whether or not…). This is often used without the どうか.
宿題があるかどうか知りません。
Translation and Vocabulary
Is the same thing as:
宿題があるか知りません。
Translation and Vocabulary
の
ABOUT:
■ の is to indicate the possessive and it also limits information. It is also used to nominalize (make noun phrases from verbs and adjectives).
How to Use:
■ Possessive: Shows a relationship between two nouns or noun phrases. The apostrophe S.
これは、マイクの本です。
Translation and Vocabulary
The connection can be extended and nested:
これは、マイクの友達の本です。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Limiter: While you can sometimes still see this as a "possessive" what the の really does is "limits" information
テーブルの下
Translation and Vocabulary
日本語のソフト
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Descriptive Names: の is also used in descriptive names and titles:
くまのプーさん
Translation and Vocabulary
■ As a pronoun/nominalizer: This means it can turn verbs and adjectives into noun phrases.
Think of it as "one" as in:
This is a big one.
昨日、買ったのを見せて。
Translation and Vocabulary
You can use this の pronoun/nominalizer to point out something specific:
赤いのがほしい。
Translation and Vocabulary
とか
ABOUT:
■ とか is a versatile Japanese particle used to indicate examples in a non-exhaustive list, suggesting that there are other items or possibilities not mentioned.
How to Use:
■ Listing Examples or Possibilities (Similar to "etc." or "and so on" or "things like"): とか is often used to list examples implying there are other unspoken examples. Place after each example in the list. とか can connect nouns, verbs, and adjectives. When used after a verb or adjective, the verb or adjective is typically in its plain form.
りんごとかバナナとか
Translation and Vocabulary
Oftentimes など which is similar to “etc.” is used in place of the last example.
学校で英語とかフランス語とかドイツ語などを勉強しました。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ Indicating Uncertainty or Hesitation: It can be used to suggest that the speaker is uncertain or hesitant about the specifics.
明日、映画とか見に行く?
Translation and Vocabulary
何か飲む?お茶とかコーラとか。。。
Translation and Vocabulary
Here, とか softens the suggestion, making it sound more casual and less direct.
■ Connecting Phrases or Actions (Similar to "and" or "or"): It can be used to connect phrases or actions, often implying a casual or informal tone.
週末は家で読書とかして過ごす。
Translation and Vocabulary
■ In Reported Speech (Similar to "said" or "like"): "とか" is also used in reported speech to indicate that what is being said is not a direct quote but a paraphrase.
彼は来週来るとか言ってた。
Translation and Vocabulary
が (but)
ABOUT:
■ The particle "が" is known primarily as a subject marker, but it can also be used as a conjunction, similar to "but" in English.
How to Use:
This usage is common in both spoken and written Japanese and is used to express contrast or contradiction between two statements.
Structure
When used as "but," "が" typically follows a clause and precedes another clause, showing a contrast or an unexpected outcome. The structure is:
[Clause 1] が [Clause 2]
彼は若いが、経験が豊富だ。
Translation and Vocabulary
Usage
■ Contrast or Unexpected Outcome: "が" is used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or somewhat contradicts what was mentioned earlier.
Notes: Softer than “でも” or “しかし”: While "でも" and "しかし" also mean "but," "が" is often softer and more commonly used in everyday conversation.
Examples
天気はいいが、風が強い。
Translation and Vocabulary
彼は親切だが、少し話しすぎる。
Translation and Vocabulary
映画は面白かったが、長すぎた。
Translation and Vocabulary
熊のプーさんが 好きですがドラえもんはあまり好きじゃない。
Translation and Vocabulary
It is also often used when trailing off and leaving the rest of the thought unsaid.
毎日練習しますが 。。。