Module 08 · Grammar

Japanese Particles

Particles (助詞 — joshi) are small words attached after nouns, verbs or adjectives that show grammatical relationships — who does what, where, when, and how. Mastering them is key to speaking natural Japanese.

は
WA (written は, read as "wa")
Topic Marker
"As for ~" / "Speaking of ~" — sets what the sentence is about
N5
📐 Structure
[Topic / noun] + は + [comment about the topic]
🎯 Main Uses
① General topic ② Contrast (A は… B は…) ③ Known / given info ④ "As for me…" statements
📖 Examples
私は学生です。
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
は marks 私 (I) as the topic — the sentence tells us something about me.
今日は暑いです。
Kyou wa atsui desu.
Today is hot. (As for today, it's hot.)
は marks 今日 (today) as what the sentence is about.
田中さんは先生です。
Tanaka-san wa sensei desu.
Mr. Tanaka is a teacher.
この本は面白いです。
Kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
This book is interesting.
コーヒーは好きですが、紅茶は嫌いです。
Koohii wa suki desu ga, koucha wa kirai desu.
I like coffee, but I dislike tea.
Double は = contrast! Coffee vs tea are being compared.
日本語は難しいです。
Nihongo wa muzukashii desu.
Japanese is difficult.
💡 Tip: は is written with the hiragana は but always pronounced "wa" when used as a particle. Think of it as setting a stage: "As for X... [here's what I have to say about X]."
が
GA
Subject Marker
Marks the grammatical subject — who/what actually does the action or is the new info
N5
📐 Structure
[Subject] + が + [verb / adjective / existence]
🎯 Main Uses
① Subject of the verb ② New / unknown information ③ After 誰/何 (who/what) questions ④ With 好き・嫌い・できる ⑤ Existence (います/あります)
📖 Examples
猫がいます。
Neko ga imasu.
There is a cat. / A cat exists.
が emphasizes "a cat" as the new, unknown info — "something exists and it's a cat!"
誰が来ましたか？
Dare ga kimashita ka?
Who came?
Questions using 誰 (who) or 何 (what) always use が, never は.
私がやります！
Watashi ga yarimasu!
I will do it! (emphasizing ME, not someone else)
日本語ができます。
Nihongo ga dekimasu.
I can speak Japanese. (lit. Japanese is doable.)
できる (can do), 好き (like), 嫌い (dislike), 分かる (understand) always use が for their object.
寿司が好きです。
Sushi ga suki desu.
I like sushi.
Even though sushi is the "object" of liking in English, Japanese uses が here.
雨が降っています。
Ame ga futte imasu.
It is raining. (lit. Rain is falling.)
⚡ は vs が — the key difference
は (wa)が (ga)

Neko wa kawaii desu.
Cats are cute. (general statement, topic = cats)
Neko ga imasu.
There IS a cat. (new info — "a cat!" exists)

Watashi wa gakusei.
I am a student. (about me in general)
Watashi ga yarimasu.
I will do it. (emphasis: ME, not you!)
💡 Rule of thumb: Use は when you're stating something known or general about a topic. Use が when you're identifying WHO or WHAT, or when the subject is new/surprising information.
を
WO (written を, read as "o")
Direct Object Marker
Marks the direct object — the thing that is acted upon by the verb
N5
📐 Structure
[Object] + を + [action verb]
🎯 Main Uses
① Direct object of a verb ② Movement through a place ③ Leaving a place (出る)
📖 Examples
りんごを食べます。
Ringo wo tabemasu.
I eat an apple.
りんご (apple) is what's being eaten — the direct object.
映画を見ます。
Eiga wo mimasu.
I watch a movie.
日本語を勉強します。
Nihongo wo benkyou shimasu.
I study Japanese.
手紙を書きました。
Tegami wo kakimashita.
I wrote a letter.
公園を歩きます。
Kouen wo arukimasu.
I walk through the park.
Special use: を with movement verbs (walk, run, fly) means passing THROUGH a space.
バスを降ります。
Basu wo orimasu.
I get off the bus.
を with 降りる (get off) / 出る (leave) = leaving a vehicle or place.
音楽を聞きます。
Ongaku wo kikimasu.
I listen to music.
水を飲みます。
Mizu wo nomimasu.
I drink water.
💡 Tip: を is written with the hiragana を but always pronounced "o" as a particle. Simply ask "what is being [verbed]?" — that noun gets を.
に
NI
Direction / Time / Location (of existence)
Points to where something is, where you're going, or when something happens
N5
📐 Structure
[Place / Time / Target] + に + [verb]
🎯 Main Uses
① Destination (go TO) ② Location of existence (is AT) ③ Specific time (AT 3 o'clock) ④ Purpose (go TO do) ⑤ Indirect object (give TO)
📖 Examples
東京に行きます。
Toukyou ni ikimasu.
I go TO Tokyo.
に = destination. Used with verbs of movement: 行く (go), 来る (come), 帰る (return).
猫は部屋にいます。
Neko wa heya ni imasu.
The cat is IN the room.
に + います/あります = static location — "exists at this place".
三時に起きます。
Sanji ni okimasu.
I wake up AT 3 o'clock.
に marks a specific point in time. NOT used with relative time: 今日 (today), 毎日 (every day).
月曜日に会議があります。
Getsuyoubi ni kaigi ga arimasu.
There is a meeting ON Monday.
友達にプレゼントをあげます。
Tomodachi ni purezento wo agemasu.
I give a present TO my friend.
に marks the indirect object — the recipient.
買い物に行きます。
Kaimono ni ikimasu.
I go shopping. (go FOR the purpose of shopping)
Verb stem + に + 行く/来る = going somewhere to do something.
椅子に座ります。
Isu ni suwarimasu.
I sit ON the chair.
⚠️ に vs で: に says WHERE something exists or the destination. で says WHERE an action takes place.
→ 図書館にいます (I am AT the library — existence)
→ 図書館で読みます (I read AT the library — action)
で
DE
Action Location / Means / Material
WHERE an action happens, BY WHAT means, or MADE OF what
N5
📐 Structure
[Place / Tool / Means] + で + [action verb]
🎯 Main Uses
① Location of action ② Means / tool ③ Transportation ④ Language / method ⑤ Material / ingredient
📖 Examples
図書館で勉強します。
Toshokan de benkyou shimasu.
I study AT the library.
で = place where an action (studying) happens.
電車で行きます。
Densha de ikimasu.
I go BY train.
で = means of transport.
ハシで食べます。
Hashi de tabemasu.
I eat WITH chopsticks.
で = tool or instrument used for the action.
日本語で話してください。
Nihongo de hanashite kudasai.
Please speak IN Japanese.
で = language / method of communication.
レストランでランチを食べました。
Resutoran de ranchi wo tabemashita.
I ate lunch AT the restaurant.
木で作った椅子です。
Ki de tsukutta isu desu.
It's a chair made OF wood.
で = material something is made from.
バスで学校に行きます。
Basu de gakkou ni ikimasu.
I go to school BY bus.
💡 に vs で recap: A helpful trick — に is about being (存在) or going to a place. で is about doing something at a place.
猫が部屋にいる (the cat IS in the room) vs 部屋で遊ぶ (play IN the room).
の
NO
Possessive / Noun Connector
"'s" in English — links two nouns, showing possession or description
N5
📐 Structure
[Owner / Descriptor] + の + [Owned thing / Described noun]
🎯 Main Uses
① Possession (A's B) ② Category / type ③ Origin / affiliation ④ Replace a noun ("the one that...")
📖 Examples
私の本です。
Watashi no hon desu.
It's my book. (lit. my book)
の = possession — just like "'s" in English.
田中さんの車はあそこです。
Tanaka-san no kuruma wa asoko desu.
Tanaka's car is over there.
日本の食べ物が好きです。
Nihon no tabemono ga suki desu.
I like Japanese food. (food OF Japan)
東京大学の学生です。
Toukyou daigaku no gakusei desu.
I'm a student of Tokyo University.
の = affiliation or membership.
白いのはどれですか？
Shiroi no wa dore desu ka?
Which one is the white one?
の can replace a noun: 白いの = "the white one" — very useful!
友達の名前は何ですか？
Tomodachi no namae wa nan desu ka?
What is your friend's name?
💡 Tip: の chains can get long — 私の友達の妹の猫 = "my friend's little sister's cat." Each の creates a chain of possession going left to right.
も
MO
Also / Too / Either
Adds inclusivity — "X also / too" — replaces は or が
N5
📐 Structure
[Noun] + も + [same predicate] (replaces は / が)
📖 Examples
私も学生です。
Watashi mo gakusei desu.
I am ALSO a student.
も replaces は — adding yourself to a group previously mentioned.
猫も犬も好きです。
Neko mo inu mo suki desu.
I like BOTH cats AND dogs.
Double も = "both A and B" or "neither A nor B" (with negative).
田中さんも来ました。
Tanaka-san mo kimashita.
Tanaka-san came TOO.
何もありません。
Nani mo arimasen.
There is nothing at all.
も with a negative = "not even anything" / "nothing at all".
彼女も日本語が話せます。
Kanojo mo nihongo ga hanasemasu.
She can speak Japanese TOO.
と
TO
And (exhaustive) / With (together)
Lists ALL items, or marks doing something together with someone
N5
📐 Structure
[A] + と + [B] = A and B (complete list)
🎯 Main Uses
① And (exhaustive list) ② Together with (person) ③ Quotation marker (と言う)
📖 Examples
パンとバター
Pan to bataa
Bread AND butter
と connects nouns as an exhaustive AND — lists everything.
友達と映画を見ました。
Tomodachi to eiga wo mimashita.
I watched a movie WITH a friend.
と = together with a person (companion).
犬と猫と魚がいます。
Inu to neko to sakana ga imasu.
There's a dog, a cat, and a fish.
「ありがとう」と言いました。
「Arigatou」to iimashita.
I said "thank you."
と + 言う (to say) = quotation marker — what was said comes before と.
💡 と vs や: と lists ALL items (exhaustive). や lists SOME examples (non-exhaustive, like "etc."):
→ 本とペン (book AND pen — those two only)
→ 本やペン (books, pens, and other things like that)
か
KA
Question Marker / Or
Turns any statement into a question, or lists alternatives
N5
📐 Structure
[sentence] + か [A] + か + [B] = A or B
📖 Examples
これは本ですか？
Kore wa hon desu ka?
Is this a book?
か at the end turns any sentence into a yes/no question.
田中さんは学生ですか？
Tanaka-san wa gakusei desu ka?
Is Tanaka-san a student?
コーヒーかお茶にしますか？
Koohii ka ocha ni shimasu ka?
Will you have coffee OR tea?
か between nouns = "or".
何時に来ますか？
Nanji ni kimasu ka?
What time will you come?
日本語が分かりますか？
Nihongo ga wakarimasu ka?
Do you understand Japanese?
💡 Tip: In polite Japanese, か is used with a question mark or rising intonation. In casual speech, か can sound abrupt or confrontational — you might just use rising intonation instead, without か.
ね・よ
NE / YO — Sentence-ending particles
Seeking agreement / Asserting information
ね = "right?" (seeking agreement)  |  よ = "I'm telling you!" (asserting)
N5
📖 ね (ne) — "Right? / Isn't it? / I agree"
今日は暑いですね。
Kyou wa atsui desu ne.
It's hot today, isn't it?
ね invites the listener to agree with you — seeking shared feeling.
おいしいですね！
Oishii desu ne!
It's delicious, right?!
分かりましたね？
Wakarimashita ne?
You understood, right?
📖 よ (yo) — "I'm telling you / You should know!"
これは本ですよ。
Kore wa hon desu yo.
This IS a book (I'm telling you).
よ asserts new information the listener doesn't know — slightly emphatic.
危ないよ！
Abunai yo!
That's dangerous! (Watch out!)
大丈夫ですよ。
Daijoubu desu yo.
It's fine, I'm telling you. (reassuring)
⚡ ね vs よ at a glance
ね (ne)よ (yo)
Shared info / Seeking agreement
"right? / isn't it?"		New info / Asserting
"I'm telling you / FYI"
ii desu ne
That's nice, isn't it?		 ii desu yo
It's good (trust me)!
練習 — Renshuu

Practice Exercises

Test your particle knowledge. Over 30 exercises across two types!

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Type the correct particle (hiragana or romaji accepted) in the blank. Press Check to see the answer.