Japanese Particles Explained: は vs が, に vs で Guide
助詞の使い方
Complete guide to Japanese particles with clear explanations. Learn は vs が, に vs で, を, へ, も, and の with examples for JLPT N5.
Particles (助詞 - joshi) are small words that show the grammatical relationship between words in a sentence. Unlike English which relies on word order, Japanese uses particles to indicate subjects, objects, locations, and more. Mastering particles is fundamental to understanding and speaking Japanese naturally—they're essential for JLPT N5 and beyond.
What Are Particles?(助詞とは)
Particles are like grammatical markers that attach to nouns, verbs, or other words to show their role in a sentence. They answer questions like "who did it?", "what was done?", "where?", and "when?".
Unlike English prepositions that come before words, Japanese particles come after the word they mark.
は (wa) - Topic Marker(は（主題）)
The particle は (pronounced "wa") marks the topic of a sentence—what you're talking about. It sets the context for everything that follows.
Think of は as saying "As for..." or "Speaking of..."
は marks what you're talking about. It doesn't always mean the subject in the grammatical sense.
が (ga) - Subject Marker(が（主語）)
The particle が marks the grammatical subject and often emphasizes or identifies something specific. Use が when:
- Introducing new information
- Answering "who/what" questions
- With adjectives expressing preference or ability
- In subordinate clauses
が emphasizes WHAT or WHO, while は tells us what we're talking about. 'Who came?' → 田中さんが来ました (Tanaka-san came).
は vs が: The Key Difference(はとがの違い)
This is one of the most confusing aspects for learners. Here's a practical way to think about it:
- は: Known/old information, setting context
- が: New/emphasized information, answering "what/who"
| Situation | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Introducing yourself | は | 私は田中です (I am Tanaka) |
| Answering 'Who is Tanaka?' | が | 私が田中です (I am Tanaka) |
| Describing weather | が | 雨が降っている (It's raining) |
| Expressing likes/dislikes | が | 寿司が好き (I like sushi) |
を (wo/o) - Object Marker(を（目的語）)
The particle を (pronounced "o") marks the direct object—the thing that receives the action of a verb.
を is also used with movement verbs to show the path or place passed through: 公園を歩く (walk through the park).
に (ni) - Target/Location/Time(に（方向・場所・時間）)
The particle に is versatile and marks:
- Destination: Where something/someone goes TO
- Location: Where something EXISTS (with いる/ある)
- Time: Specific points in time
- Indirect object: The receiver of an action
で (de) - Location of Action/Means(で（場所・手段）)
The particle で marks:
- Location of action: WHERE an action takes place
- Means/tool: HOW something is done
- Reason: Because of something
に vs で: Location Confusion(にとでの違い)
Both can indicate location, but the difference is crucial:
- に: Where something EXISTS (static)
- で: Where an ACTION happens (dynamic)
| Particle | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| に | Existence (いる/ある) | 猫が部屋にいる (The cat is in the room) |
| で | Action happening | 部屋で寝る (Sleep in the room) |
| に | Destination | 東京に行く (Go to Tokyo) |
| で | Means of transport | 電車で行く (Go by train) |
Ask yourself: Is something just EXISTING there? Use に. Is an ACTION happening there? Use で.
へ (e) - Direction(へ（方向）)
The particle へ (pronounced "e") indicates direction of movement. It's similar to に for destinations but emphasizes the direction rather than the arrival point.
に and へ are often interchangeable for destinations. へ sounds slightly more formal or literary.
も (mo) - Also/Too(も（も）)
The particle も means "also" or "too" and replaces は, が, or を:
の (no) - Possession/Connection(の（所有・関係）)
The particle の connects nouns, showing possession or relationship (like 's in English):
の can chain multiple nouns: 友達の家の猫 (my friend's house's cat).
✓Summary
Key particles to remember:
- は: Topic marker ("as for...")
- が: Subject marker (emphasis, new info)
- を: Object marker (what receives action)
- に: Target, existence location, time
- で: Action location, means, reason
- へ: Direction
- も: Also/too
- の: Possession/connection
See these particles in action with our restaurant phrases and train phrases guides!
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