About Japanese Particles
There are a lot of Particles in Japanese sentences.
Particles denote the function of the words preceding them in the sentences.
| Ex | 私 が この りんご を 食べます。 watashi ga kono ringo o tabe-masu. |
I eat this apple. |
| The word before “ga” denotes the subject and the word before “o” denotes the object in the above sentence. | ||
| Particle “wa” – 助詞 “は” | ||
| The particle “wa (は)” is used to mark the topic of a sentence. This is usually used for the subject of a sentence. This particle “は” is pronounced as “wa”. |
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| 1 | 私 は 日本人 です。 watashi wa nihon-jin desu. |
I am Japanese. |
| 2 | これ は 本 です。 kore wa hon desu. |
This is a book. |
| 3 | 今日 は 日曜日 です。 kyoo wa nichiyoobi desu. |
Today is Sunday. |
| Particle “ga” – 助詞 “が” | ||
| In Japanese sentences, the particle “wa (は)” and “ga (が)” are used for the subject. “wa” is more often used in a Japanese sentence than “ga”, but in these cases below “ga” is used for the subject instead of “wa”. |
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| 1. When What exists or what is happening around the speaker is clearly and specifically described. | ||
| 1 | あそこ に 日本人 が います。 asoko ni nihon-jin ga i-masu. |
There is a Japanese over there. |
| 2 | 雨 が 降って います。 ame ga futte i-masu. |
It’s raining. |
| 2. When the subject newly appears in the sentence. | ||
| 1 | 私 の 友達 が 日本 に 来ました。 watashi no tomodachi ga nihon ni ki-mashita. 友達 の 名前 は ジャック です。 tomodachi no namae wa jakku desu. |
My friend came to Japan. The friend’s name is Jack. *In this case, “wa” is used for repeating the old information of the subject. |
| 3. When the subject is an interrogative or an indefinite pronoun, and answers a question. | ||
| 1 | 誰 が ジャックさん ですか？ dare ga jakku-san desu ka? 私 が ジャック です。 watashi ga jakku desu. |
Who is Jack? I’m Jack. |
| 4. When the subject is restricted to only one. | ||
| 1 | これ が 欲しいです。 kore ga hoshii desu. |
I want this. |
| 2 | 私 が 日本人 です。 watashi ga nihon-jin desu. |
I’m Japanese. (not other people) |
| 5. When the subject is used in the subordinate clause of a complex sentence. | ||
| 1 | これ は 彼女 が 買った ペン です。 kore wa kanojo ga katta pen desu. |
This is a pen she bought. |
| Particle “no” – 助詞 “の” | ||
| 1. Possessive Marker Particle “no (の)” indicates ownership or attribution. This is similar to English “apostrophe s (‘s)”. |
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| 1 | これはお父さんの本です。 | There is a Japanese over there. |
| 2 | 私の兄は大学生です。 | It’s raining. |
| 2. When the subject newly appears in the sentence. | ||
| 1 | 私 の 友達 が 日本 に 来ました。 watashi no tomodachi ga nihon ni ki-mashita. 友達 の 名前 は ジャック です。 tomodachi no namae wa jakku desu. |
My friend came to Japan. The friend’s name is Jack. *In this case, “wa” is used for repeating the old information of the subject. |
| 3. When the subject is an interrogative or an indefinite pronoun, and answers a question. | ||
| 1 | 誰 が ジャックさん ですか？ dare ga jakku-san desu ka? 私 が ジャック です。 watashi ga jakku desu. |
Who is Jack? I’m Jack. |
| 4. When the subject is restricted to only one. | ||
| 1 | これ が 欲しいです。 kore ga hoshii desu. |
I want this. |
| 2 | 私 が 日本人 です。 watashi ga nihon-jin desu. |
I’m Japanese. (not other people) |
| 5. When the subject is used in the subordinate clause of a complex sentence. | ||
| 1 | これ は 彼女 が 買った ペン です。 kore wa kanojo ga katta pen desu. |
This is a pen she bought. |