Language/Japanese/Grammar/Particle-は-and-が

◀️ Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Verb Conjugation ▶️

Japanese Grammar → Hiragana Basics → Particle は and が

As a beginner in Japanese, one of the first things you will learn is hiragana, the basic alphabet of the language. Once you have understood and memorized the basic hiragana, you will then move on to learning Japanese grammar. One of the most important aspects of Japanese grammar is the use of particles. In this lesson, we will focus on two of the most commonly used particles, は and が.

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Particles も and しか & Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure.

Understanding Particles

In Japanese, particles are short words that are used to mark certain aspects of a sentence. In English, these aspects are often indicated using prepositions or word order, but in Japanese, it is the particles that carry this meaning. Understanding particles is crucial to understanding the meaning of Japanese sentences.

は and が are both particles used to mark the subject of a sentence. This may sound simple, but there are important differences between the two particles that you need to understand in order to use them correctly.

Difference between は and が

The particle は is known as "wa" and the particle が is known as "ga". The choice between は and が depends on what aspect of the sentence you want to emphasize.

は is used to indicate the topic of the sentence. It is used to describe what the sentence is about, and to give general information. When using は, the subject is often already known or the topic of conversation.

が, on the other hand, is used to indicate the subject of a sentence. It is used to give specific information about who or what is doing the action. When using が, the subject is often unknown or has not been previously mentioned.

Let's look at a few examples to better understand the difference between は and が:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
私は学生です	watashi wa gakusei desu	I am a student (talking about myself as a topic)
私が学生です	watashi ga gakusei desu	I am a student (emphasizing myself as the subject)
あの人は医者です	ano hito wa isha desu	That person is a doctor (talking about someone else as a topic)
あの人が医者です	ano hito ga isha desu	That person is a doctor (emphasizing who the doctor is)

As you can see from the examples, は is used to indicate what the sentence as a whole is about, while が is used to indicate the specific subject that is doing the action in the sentence.

Other Uses of は and が

In addition to marking the subject of a sentence, は and が can also be used in other ways. Here are a few examples:

Contrastive は

Sometimes は is used to contrast one thing with another. This is known as "contrastive は" because it is used to distinguish one thing from another. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
太郎はリンゴを食べた	taro wa ringo o tabeta	Taro ate an apple (implying that other people did not eat the apple)
太郎がリンゴを食べた	taro ga ringo o tabeta	Taro ate an apple (without implying anything about what anyone else ate)

In this example, は is used to emphasize that Taro ate the apple, while others did not.

が as the Object Marker

Sometimes, が can be used to mark the object of a sentence, instead of the subject. This happens when the sentence is in the negative form. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
私は本を買った	watashi wa hon o katta	I bought a book
私は本を買わなかった	watashi wa hon o kawanakatta	I did not buy a book
私が本を買った	watashi ga hon o katta	I bought the book
私が本を買わなかった	watashi ga hon o kawanakatta	I did not buy the book

As you can see, when the sentence is negative, が is used to mark the object of the sentence.

Tips for Using は and が Correctly

Here are a few tips to help you use は and が correctly:

• Use は to indicate what the sentence is about in general.
• Use が to indicate the specific subject of the sentence.
• If the subject of the sentence is already known or has been mentioned before, use は to indicate what the sentence is about.
• If the subject is unknown or has not been mentioned before, use が to introduce the subject.
• If you want to emphasize one thing over another, use は to contrast them.
• If the sentence is negative and has an object, use が to mark the object.

Conclusion

By now, you should have a good understanding of the difference between は and が, and how to use them correctly in Japanese sentences. As you continue to study Japanese, you will encounter many situations where these particles will be important to convey the meaning of your sentences.

Remember, the more you practice using these particles, the easier it will become to use them correctly. So keep studying, and before you know it, you'll be speaking Japanese like a native!

Sources

• A Simple Guide to Common Japanese Particles | OptiLingo

Having concluded this lesson, consider checking out these related pages: Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice & Conditional Mood.

Table of Contents - Japanese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Hiragana Basics

• Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• Particle は and が
• Verb Conjugation
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Describing People
• Counting Numbers and Time
• Basic Food and Drink Terminology
• Daily Activities and Hobbies
• Basic Directions and Transportation

  ---

Geography and History

• Introduction to Japanese Geography
• Brief History of Japan
• Traditional Arts and Customs
• Popular Culture and Entertainment

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adverb Types and Usage
• Comparison and Superlative
• Adjective and Adverbial Modification

  ---

Family and Social Relations

• Family Members and Titles
• Social Etiquette and Expressions
• Basic Workplace and Business Terminology
• Shopping and Consumer Culture

  ---

Religion and Philosophy

• Shinto and Buddhism
• Zen and Samurai Culture
• Contemporary Spiritual Movements

  ---

Particles and Conjunctions

• Particles に and で
• Particles へ and を
• Particles も and しか
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• Conditional and Hypothetical Sentences

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Basic Travel and Tourism Vocabulary
• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Japanese Hospitality and Service Culture

  ---

Education and Science

• Educational System and Vocabulary
• Traditional and Modern Science and Technology
• Natural Disasters and Risk Prevention

  ---

Prepositions and Interjections

• Prepositions and Postpositions
• Emphasis and Intensification
• Exclamation and Impression Expressions

  ---

Arts and Media

• Film and Theater Terminology
• Music and Dance Terminology
• Art and Literature Terminology

  ---

Politics and Society

• Basic Political Vocabulary
• Social Issues and Controversies
• Japanese Business and Work Culture

Other Lessons

• Plural 複数
• Future Tense
• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjectives 形容詞
• Give your Opinion
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• How to Use Have
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

◀️ Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Verb Conjugation ▶️