は and が
Topic and subject.
は (said wa) marks the topic: what the sentence is about, roughly "as for X". が marks the subject: who or what does something or is something. Both often become the subject of the English sentence, so the difference lies in what is new and what is already known.
The topic: は
は takes something known, or already being talked about, and says something about it. The topic doesn't have to be the subject.
- Watashi wa Tanaka desu.I'm Tanaka.
- Kono hon wa mō yomimashita.I've already read this book.As for this book, (I) already read (it)
New information: が
が presents something new: something that has just come into view or into the conversation, or a subject that is the point of the sentence.
- A, neko ga iru.Oh, there's a cat.
- Tanaka-san ga kimashita.Mr. Tanaka came.Answers "Who came?"
- Tanaka-san wa kimashita.Mr. Tanaka came.Answers "What about Mr. Tanaka?"; can hint that others didn't
Question words take が
A question word can't be a topic, so a question word that is the subject takes が, and so does the answer to it. When the question word comes later in the sentence, the known part is the topic: 名前は何ですか "What's your name?"
- Dare ga kimashita ka.Who came?
- Dore ga ii desu ka.Which one is good?
Contrast
は can also set one thing against another: "X, at least" or "X, but not Y". This is why は often appears in negative sentences.
- Niku wa tabemasu ga, sakana wa tabemasen.I eat meat, but I don't eat fish.
Words that take が
With some words, the thing that is liked, understood or had takes が, where English uses an object. The person is often the topic, with は.
| Word | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ある, いる | 時間がある | there's time; I have time |
| 好き, 嫌い | 猫が好きだ | I like cats |
| 上手, 下手 | 料理が上手だ | is good at cooking |
| 分かる | 日本語が分かる | I understand Japanese |
| できる | テニスができる | I can play tennis |
| ほしい | 車がほしい | I want a car |
| Potential verbs | 漢字が読める | I can read kanji |
- Watashi wa neko ga suki desu.I like cats.
- Zō wa hana ga nagai.Elephants have long trunks.As for elephants, the trunk is long
が inside a clause
Inside a clause that describes a noun, or a clause of "when" or "if", the subject takes が, not は: 私が買った本 "the book I bought". See Describing nouns with clauses.
Cards from this guide
9 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 は (wa) mark?
The topic: what the sentence is about, roughly 'as for X'.
What kind of information does が usually present: new or already known?
New: something just introduced, or the point of the sentence.
は or が: which goes after a question word like 誰 (who) when it's the subject?
が.
は or が: which follows 名前 (name) when you ask someone's name?
は: 名前は何ですか.
How does 田中さんが来ました differ from 田中さんは来ました (Mr. Tanaka came)?
が answers 'Who came?'; は answers 'What about Mr. Tanaka?'
Which particle marks a noun being contrasted with another, as in 'I eat meat, but not fish'?
は, on each noun: 肉は … 魚は.
Which particle marks the thing you like with 好き (suki)?
が: 猫が好きです.
What does 象は鼻が長い (Zō wa hana ga nagai) literally say?
'As for elephants, the trunk is long.'
は or が: which marks the subject inside a clause that describes a noun?
が: 私が買った本, 'the book I bought'.