Particles
は, が, を, に, で and the rest.
Particles are short words that follow a noun and show its role in the sentence, the work English does with word order and prepositions. They always come after the word they mark: 東京で "in Tokyo", 友達と "with a friend".
| Particle | Marks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| は wa | Topic: what the sentence is about | 私は学生です。I'm a student. |
| が ga | Subject, often new information | 猫がいる。There's a cat. |
| を o | Direct object | 水を飲む。I drink water. |
| に ni | Time, destination, recipient, where something is | 七時に起きる。I get up at seven. |
| で de | Where something happens; by means of | バスで行く。I go by bus. |
| へ e | Direction | 東京へ行く。I go to Tokyo. |
| と to | And (between nouns); with | 友達と話す。I talk with a friend. |
| や ya | And, among others | 本やペン books, pens and so on |
| も mo | Also, too | 私も行く。I'm going too. |
| の no | Possession; joins nouns | 私の本 my book |
| から kara | From; because | 九時から from nine |
| まで made | Until, as far as | 五時まで until five |
| より yori | Than | 犬より猫が好き。I like cats more than dogs. |
| か ka | Question | 行きますか。Are you going? |
| ね ne | Seeking agreement | いいですね。Nice, isn't it? |
| よ yo | Telling something new | 雨ですよ。It's raining, you know. |
は and が are the hardest pair to tell apart, so they have their own page: は and が.
に or で
Both can mean "at" or "in". に marks where something is, or where something goes; で marks where an action takes place.
- Toshokan ni imasu.I'm at the library.
- Toshokan de benkyō shimasu.I study at the library.
に also marks a point in time (七時に "at seven") and the person you give something to or meet (友達に会う "meet a friend"). で also marks the means: バスで "by bus", 日本語で "in Japanese".
に or へ
Both mark a destination, so 東京に行く and 東京へ行く mean the same. へ puts a little more weight on the direction; に is more common in speech.
と or や
と lists everything: 本とペン "a book and a pen". や gives examples from a longer list: 本やペン "books, pens and so on".
Particles together
Some particles combine: には, では, からも, とは. But は and も don't follow が or を; they replace them. "I too" is 私も, not 私がも.
- Tōkyō de wa yuki ga amari furimasen.It doesn't snow much in Tokyo.
- Nihon ni mo ikitai desu.I want to go to Japan too.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Basic sentences cards.
What does the particle を (o) mark?
The direct object.
に or で: which marks the place where an action happens?
で.
Which particle marks a point in time, as in 'at seven'?
に: 七時に.
What does で mean in バスで (basu de)?
By: 'by bus'.
と or や: which lists every item, not just examples?
と.
What does と mean after a person, as in 友達と話す?
With: 'talk with a friend'.
What does も (mo) mean after a noun?
Also, too.
What does の do in 私の本 (watashi no hon)?
It shows possession: 'my book'.
What do から and まで mean after a time or place?
から means 'from'; まで means 'until' or 'as far as'.
ね or よ: which, at the end of a sentence, tells the listener something new?
よ, like 'you know'.