Japanese particles: は, が, を, に, で, へ
The particles that carry an ordinary Japanese sentence, and the roles they stand in – with examples and translations.
は
what the sentence is about
は announces a thing, and the rest of the sentence talks about it.
Examples
- 私は田中です。I am Tanaka.
- これは本です。This is a book.
- 「田中さんはどんな人ですか。」「田中さんはとても親切です。」“What is Tanaka like?” “Tanaka is very kind.”
- 今日は寒いですね。It is cold today, isn’t it?
が · who acts, or what just happens
が points straight at that word — both the one acting and the thing simply happening.
Examples
- 雨が降っています。It is raining.
- 犬が走っています。A dog is running.
- エレベーターが止まりました。The elevator has stopped.
- 赤ちゃんが泣いています。The baby is crying.
が · who does it inside a description
が marks the doer inside a clause that describes a noun, where は cannot go.
Examples
- 田中さんが作った料理はおいしいです。The food Tanaka made is delicious.
- 私が住んでいる町は静かです。The town I live in is quiet.
- 母が作ったケーキを食べました。I ate the cake my mother made.
- 兄が買った車は赤いです。The car my brother bought is red.
が · new information
が marks the part that answers the question.
Examples
- 「誰が来ましたか。」「田中さんが来ました。」“Who came?” “Tanaka came.”
- 「どれがあなたの傘ですか。」「これが私の傘です。」“Which is your umbrella?” “This one is mine.”
- 「机の上に何がありますか。」「本があります。」“What is on the desk?” “There is a book.”
- 「どの人が先生ですか。」「あの人が先生です。」“Which person is the teacher?” “That person is.”
が · what you like or can do
好き, 上手, ほしい and わかる take が, not を.
Examples
- 私は音楽が好きです。I like music.
- 弟は野菜が嫌いです。My brother dislikes vegetables.
- 田中さんは料理が上手です。Tanaka is good at cooking.
- 私は新しいかばんがほしいです。I want a new bag.
を
the thing the action is done to
The action here is aimed at something, and を marks what.
Examples
- 毎朝パンを食べます。I eat bread every morning.
- 図書館で本を借りました。I borrowed a book at the library.
- 昨日映画を見ました。I saw a film yesterday.
- 手紙を書いています。I am writing a letter.
に · place of existence
に marks where someone or something is.
Examples
- 机の上に本があります。There is a book on the desk.
- 教室に学生がいます。There are students in the classroom.
- 駅の前に銀行があります。There is a bank in front of the station.
- 私は東京に住んでいます。I live in Tokyo.
に · destination
に marks where the movement ends up.
Examples
- 明日京都に行きます。I am going to Kyoto tomorrow.
- 六時に家に帰ります。I go home at six.
- 部屋に入ってください。Please come into the room.
- 駅に着きました。I have arrived at the station.
に · getting on
に marks the vehicle or seat you get onto.
Examples
- バスに乗ります。I get on the bus.
- 電車に乗りましょう。Let’s take the train.
- この駅で地下鉄に乗ります。I get on the underground at this station.
- 父は自転車に乗りました。My father got on his bicycle.
に · recipient
に marks the person the action reaches.
Examples
- 友達に手紙を書きました。I wrote a letter to a friend.
- 先生に質問しました。I asked the teacher a question.
- 母に電話しました。I called my mother.
- 弟に本をあげました。I gave my brother a book.
に · point in time
に marks a time you could point to on a clock or calendar.
Examples
- 七時に起きます。I get up at seven.
- 月曜日に会いましょう。Let’s meet on Monday.
- 三月に日本に行きます。I am going to Japan in March.
- 十二時に昼ごはんを食べます。I have lunch at twelve.
で · place of an action
で marks where an action takes place.
Examples
- 学校で勉強します。I study at school.
- 公園で子どもが遊んでいます。Children are playing in the park.
- 駅で友達を待っています。I am waiting for my friend at the station.
- 会社で働いています。I work at a company.
で · means
で marks the tool, vehicle or language used.
Examples
- 電車で会社へ行きます。I go to work by train.
- バスで学校へ行きます。I go to school by bus.
- はしでごはんを食べます。I eat with chopsticks.
- 紙にペンで名前を書いてください。Please write your name on the paper with a pen.
へ
direction
へ marks the direction the movement heads in.
Examples
- 病院へ急ぎましょう。Let’s hurry to the hospital.
- 南へ進んでください。Please head south.
- こちらへ来てください。Please come this way.
- 空港へ向かっています。I am heading for the airport.
Where this comes from
Everything above comes from the free part of the Joshi app and has passed its content review.
- Joshi: Japanese ParticlesGrammar drills for the JLPT
App Store →Free app with an in-app purchase
Learning Japanese
- Confusing pairs in Japanese: は or が, もう or まだ – Pairs that look interchangeable and are not – each sentence comes with the situation and the reason the other form fails.
- Japanese verb forms: masu, te, ta, nai – The forms from the first two stages of conjugation – what each one does and when it is used.
- Japanese counters – how to count people, things and animals – What you use to count people, thin objects, books and animals – with readings, notes on the exceptions and example sentences.
- Casual Japanese – the contractions in anime and conversation – The contractions you hear every day, each next to the full form it came from.
- Keigo – Japanese politeness in practice – Situations from working life and the honorific and humble forms – what to say and why that one.