Most of Japanese learners are not found of particles and most teachers don’t make things easier. If you have trouble keeping all the particles straight, this guide will illuminate you by explaining how to perfectly use them.
The “topic” is often the grammatical subject, but can be anything (including the grammatical object, and sometimes the verb), and it may also follow some other particles.
Formation
[ A ] wa [ B ] desu.
= [ A ] is [ B ].
Example
昨日は雨だった。
Kinō wa ame datta.
It was rainy yesterday
While は is used when a question word (who, where, etc) comes after the topic in the sentence (レストランはどこですか。), we use the particle が when the question word is the subject or part of it.
Example
だれが来ますか。
Dare ga kimasu ka?
Who will come?
私は猫が好きです。
Watashi wa neko ga suki desu.
I like cats.
Formation
Noun + o(を) + verb
Example
私はチョコを食べます
Watashi wa choko o tabemasu.
I eat chocolate.
Formation
[Object1]は[property1/action1]です
[Object2]も[property1/action1]です
Example
A: 私はフランス人です。Watashi wa furansujin desu.
B: 私もフランス人です。Watashi mo furansujin desu.
A: I am French.
B: I am also French.
It is also used with giving/receiving verbs and can then mean “from”.
In the case of passive verbs, it marks the grammatical agent, making it the same as “by” in English. (i.e. “my wallet was stolen by my brother.” ) に is also used to indicate the location of existence when combined with the verbs いる or ある, making it the Japanese version of “at” (in some instances).
Formation
place + ni (に)
Example
学校に行きます。
Gakkō ni ikimasu.
I go to school.
Formation
location/direction + e(へ)
Example
彼へ手紙を送りました。
Kare e tegami o okurimasita.
I sent him a letter.
Formation
location + de (で)
Example
私は家で本を読みます。
Watashi wa ie de hon o yomimasu.
I read books at home.
Formation
Noun + kara (から)
Example
学校から家までどれくらいかかりますか。
Gakkō kara ie made dorekurai kakarimasu ka?
How long does it take you to get home from school?
Formation
Noun + made (まで)
Example
彼女と７時学校までドライブしました。
Kanojo to shichi-ji 学校 made doraibu shimashita.
I went driving around with my girlfriend until 7 o’clock.
It’s also the particle used to indicate a direct quote (from someone’s mind or speech), functioning like quotation marks in English.
Formation
Noun + to(と) + Noun
Example
肉と魚が好きです。
Niku to sakana ga suki desu.
I like meat and fish.
Formation
AやB
AやBや
Example
赤や黄色の花が咲いていた。
Aka ya kīro no hana ga saiteita.
There were red, yellow and other color flowers blooming.
Formation
Object1 + の + Object2
Example
あなたの名前はなんですか。
Anata no namae wa nan desuka?
What’s your name?
Formation
the particle ne is added to the end of the sentence
Example
これは美味しいですね。
Kore wa oishii desu ne.
This is delicious, isn’t it?
Formation
the particle yo is added to the end of the sentence
Example
明日私は行くよ。
Ashita Watashi wa iku yo.
I’ll go tomorrow!
