2. The particles indicates a relationship between a noun and a verb. What does this mean? Here is a distinct difference between Japanese and English s

1. Basic rules of making a sentence:

a) A Particle comes right after a noun. When pronouncing it, it blends into the proceeding noun.

So a Japanese sentence consist of something like “noun+particile noun+particle

noun+particle noun+particle … verb.” The red letters are particles in the following sample sentence.

例） たなかさんは ひるの 1 じに とうきょうで やきそばを たべます。

Ｔａｎａｋａ-san eat Yakisoba at 1 p.m. in Tokyo.

b) A verb generally comes at the end of a sentence as you see “たべます to eat” in the above sample sentence.

c) A topic (often a subject of a sentence) comes at the beginning of a sentence to indicate what or who a speaker is talking about. は (pronounced as “Wa”) particle is used to indicate the topic (“たなかさんは in the above sentence) of the sentence. It can be translated as “speaking of...”, “talking about...”, or “as for...”). The topic is often omitted if it is known to a listener.

d) The topic is NOT repeated unless a speaker wants to indicate the topic again to clarify that the speaker is still talking about the topic.

Thus, repeating a topic in every sentence makes your talk sound un-natural.

e) Words indicating day, date, time often comes at the beginning of a sentence and before a topic. In the above sentence, “ひるの 1 じに, hiro no ichi-ji ni, at 1 p.m.” can be at the beginning of the sentence.

Words indicating Relative Time such as today きょう、tomorrow あした、next week こん しゅう, etc. is not usually followed by a particle. きょう がっこうに いきます。 I go to school today.

f) Nouns containing a broader sense proceed other nouns when the nouns are similar category such as time and places.

例） Wilmington, NC USA ＝ アメリカの ノースカロライナの ウイルミントン

6 o'clock in the morning last weekends ＝ せんしゅうの しゅうまつの あさの ６ じ

2. The particles indicates a relationship between a noun and a verb.

What does this mean? Here is a distinct difference between Japanese and English sentence structure as a sample.

The weak particles がand を to express “subject” and “direct-object in English sentences. “Transitive verbs” is a verb that require a direct object.

Particles What does it indicate? Sample sentences が

Ga

Action doer (with action verbs/transitive verbs)

たなかさんが ゴジラを たべます。

Tanaka-san ga Gojira o tabemasu.

Tanaka-san eats. Gozilla is eaten. = Tanaka eats Gozilla.

たなかさんを ゴジラが たべます。

Tanaka-san o Gozira ga tabemasu.

Tanaka is eaten. Gozilla eats. = Gozilla eats Tanaka-san. を O (“Wo” is used when typing this particle.) Action-receiver (with action verbs/ transitive verbs) or direct-object.

The English equivalent of the above particles are the strict word order rules of an English sentence structure. That is “Subject + Verb + direct object”. If you switch the positions of the subject and the direct object, it means completely different (Tanaka eats? Or Godzilla eats?). Now you can understand that the word orders are relatively loose in Japanese because the particle indicates which one is doing action and which one is receiving the action. You can see how important the use of particles with nouns in Japanese sentence structure.

3. The

strong

particle

は

(pronounced as Wa) replaces the

weak

particles

が

Ga or

を

O.

“

は

“Wa ” particle is written with は (not with わ) and replaces がand を particles when you bring the word at the beginning of a setnce to treat as a topic. This is why がand を are

がand を particles as well. Therefore, the above noun with が or を are replaced by は, and they becomes as follows.

たなかさんは (がis replaced by は) ゴジラを たべます。Tanaka eats Godzilla. たなかさんは (をis replaced by は) ゴジラが たべます。Godzilla eats Tanaka.

わたしは かのうです。 Watashi wa Kanou desu. I am (Ms.) Kano. きょうは あついです。 Kyou wa atsui desu. Today is hot.

Please refer to the は below to learn more cases which はreplaces がand をparticles.

Here are other rules that “は ” particle replaces がand を particles

は is used as a topic marker and replace が or をwhen a subject or an direct object comes at the beginning of a sentence.

(talking about.., speaking of.., as for..).

きょうは (replaced が) わたしの たんじょうびです。

Kyoo wa watashi no tanjoobi desu.

Today is my birthday.

せんせいは (replaced が) おちゃを のみます。

Sensei wa ocha o nomimasu. A teacher drinks a green tea. ピザは (replaced を) せんせいが たべました。

Piza wa sensei ga tabemashita. As for piza, sensei ate (it). はWa replaces がGa or をO when a subject or a direct object is placed at the beginning of sentences.)

は is used for familiar topic (already discussed or implied in the conversation)

A:おちゃを のみますか。Do you drink green tea? B:はい、（おちゃは） のみます。Yes. I drink (it).

You do not need to repeat the already mentioned word おyou’re your response since it is already mentioned (familiar item) but if you say it again, は replaces をsince it is already mentioned/introduced. If this rule is hard to remember, do not repeat what is already introduced. Do not forget to end the statement with a verb even if it is the same repeated word.

は is used when contrasting/comparing Often used with the conjunctive words “But,

When a relative word such as “きょう kyoo, きのう kinou, あさって asatte” are used as an adverb, it does not require a particle unless those days are compared/contrasted.

きょう 、いきます。Kyoo ikumasu.

however, although” でも、 しかし、…が、…けど

きょうは いきます。でも、あしたは いきません。Kyoo

wa ikimasu. Demo, ashita wa ikimasen.

(I) will go today, but (I) will not go tomorrow.

は is used in negative sentences

さかなは (replaced を) たべません。Sakana wa tabemasen. (I)

do not eat fish.

Yamada-san will not come tomorrow. あした やだまさんはは (replaced が) きません。

は can NOT be used with question words such as だれ Dare (Who) and なに Nani (What). Thus it does NOT replace がand を particles when used with questions words.

A: だれが たべましたか。 Who ate? B: たなかさんが たべました. Tanaka ate. (が = action doer/subject)

A: なにを たべましたか What (did you) eat? B: ピザを たべました. (I) ate pizza.

(

o

When a subject or an object of a sentence is new information (not discussed yet or implied in the conversation), が or を particles should be used instead of は (even if the answer is in the negative. See below) A: だれが きませんか。Who will not come?

B: たなかさんが*きません。 Tanaka will not come. (It is Tanaka-san who does not come.)

Ａｄｖａｎｃｅｄ Usage: * If a speaker is thinking about all the other available people who may come: B: （やまださんは）たなかさんは*きません。Tanaka (at least) will not come (by comparing and contrasting with other available people).

A: やまださんは なにを たべませんか。What Yamada-san does not eat?

B: (やまださんは)さかなを* たべません。 (Yamada-san) does not eat fish.

Ａｄｖａｎｃｅｄ Usage:* If a speaker is thinking about all the other available food, he/she would say: B: （やまださんは）さかなは たべません。Yamada does not eat (at least) fish (by comparing and contrasting with all the other food items).

More advanced usage for your information. は is used to imply a

hidden meaning in

comparing and contrasting

English equivalent of this meaning can be “At last.”

When you are complementing someone, saying “You look pretty today,” you should say きょう、きれいですね。 If

(This concept is for advanced level learner.)

you say きょうは、きれいですね。It may imply that the person under discussion is pretty at least today (he/she is not usually pretty/clean); or that she/he does not usually dress up so pretty… something is going on today?).

A:そのみせは どうですか。How is the store? B: ほんが やすいです。A book is cheap.

Notes* As a response to A’s question, B can say “ほんは やすいです。” If B uses は, he may be comparing books with other items sold at the store; thus, implying “at least a book is cheap.” In this case, B may be implying that a book is cheap but other items are not. Or B may be implying that (I know that at least) books are cheap. You just have to ask more questions to understand the implications.

What is the difference between Topic Marker はand Subject Marker が?

This is a common question from an English speaker since Subject Marker が is often replaced by the Topic Marker は so it gets confusing. Look at the following example. Who is the one did the action of eating?

1. さかなが たべました。 2. さかなは たべました。

It is clear that in the sentence 1, fish ate (something) because of Subject Marker が

clearly indicating who (the subject “fish”) did the action . However, in the sentence 2, it

is not clear from just this one sentence who did the action (fish ate? Or the speaker ate?) since Topic Marker はreplaces Subject Marker がor Direct-object marker を. So the sentence 2 can be understood in two ways “ さかなが たべました fish ate” or（”わ たしは）さかなを たべました。(I) ate the fish.”

If you can understand the differences in the following sentences, you are advanced! 今日が はじめてです。

今日は はじめてです。

わたしが きのう かったパンを たべました。 わたしは きのう かったパンを たべました。

4. Use of

particles at beginner’s level.

は can NOT be used with question words such as だれ Dare (who) and なに Nani (what). Refer more above.

A: だれが きますか。Who is coming?

B: たなかさんが きます。Tanaka-san is coming.

A: なにを たべますか。What do you eat? B: ピザを たべます。(I) eat pizza.

A: あした なにを しますか。What will you do tomorrow?

B: すしを つくります I am making sushi. が

Ga

indicating the subject of noun or adjective

predicate

(noun) が noun +desu. (noun) が adj. + desu.

（わたしは）たなかです。(noun predicate) (I) am Tanaka.

ほんは やすいです。 (adj. predicate) A book is inexpensive.

（わたしは）たなかさんが すきです。(adj.

Predicate) (I) like Tanaka-san.

"Ga" is used with "-- suki desu" to indicate what is liked. The word “すき to like” is not a verb in Japanese. It is an adjective word so it follows “(noun) が adj. + desu” structure.

Under some context explained in the #3 above, がcan be replace by は. （わたしは）たなかさんは すき です。(adj. Predicate) (I) like (at least) Tanaka-san. が

Ga

Some verbs require が but it is a direct object if you translate it in English. (noun) が あります (noun) が わかります （わたしは）しつもんが あります。 ( I ) have a

question. Or there is a question. (Watashi wa) Shitsumon ga arimasu. I

"Ga" is used with "arimasu" to indicate what exists/is possessed.

（わたしは） にほんごが わかります。 ( I )

understand Japanese.

"Ga" is used with "wakarimasu" to indicate what is understood.

Again, under some context explained in the #3 above, がcan be replace by は. （わたしは） にほんごは わかります。I understand (at least) Japanese.

5. Other Particles:

How English prepositional words (in, at, on, of, from, etc.) are expressed in Japanese? Here are some common particles and their meanings to be learned at beginner’s levels. Suggestion: For a beginner, learning/memorizing a particle with a verb as a set (or a particle with a predicates/an ending statement of a sentence) is recommended.

に Destination がっこうに いきます。(I ) go to school.

うちに かえります。(I ) go home.

Time, days, month, years ２じに がっこうに いきます。(I) go to school at two. どようびに かいものに いきます。(I) go shopping on Sat. へ Pronounced as “E” (not “HE”)

Direction がっこうへ いきます。 (I) go to school.

うちへ かえります。(I ) go home.

うちへ はしります。(I) run to a hospital. としょかんへ あるきます。(I) walk to the library.

の Connecting nouns and the first noun modifies the second noun

とうきょう だいがくの たなかです。

(I am) Tanaka from Tokyo Univ. あしたの よる します。(I) will do tomorrow night.

と With ともだちと はなします。. (I) talk with a

friend.

クラスメートと べんきょうします。(I) study with a classmate.

And

Note: Do not use “と” to connect sentences as you use “and” in English. Use “それからSorekara (and), そしてsoshite (and) , そのあとsonoato (and after that), etc.” to connect sentences in Japanese.

ピザと サンドイッチを たべます。それ

から、ともだちに あいます。(I) eat pizza

and sandwiches, and (I) will meet a friend.

パンと いちごを かいます。 そのあと、うち

に かえります。 (I) will buy bread and strawberry. After that I go home.

わたしと たなかさんが たべました。 そし

て、さとうさんも たべました。 I and Tanaka-san ate (it). Also, Sato-Tanaka-san ate it.

で Place of activities だいがくの としょかんで べんきょう します。 (I) study at university library.

うちで べんしました。 そのあと、カフェテリア

で ピザを たべました。(I) studies at home and then ate pizza in cafeteria.

By means of, by using にほんごで いって ください。Say in

Japanese. テレビで えいがを みます。 (I) watch a movie on TV. も (も replaces が and を particles)

Also, too A conversation between A and B about what they ate.

A: きのう ピザを たべました。 (I) ate pizza yesterday.

B: わたしも たべました。. I also ate it.

A: それから、サラダも たべました。And,

I ate salad also.

B: (わたしは) サラダは たべませんでし

た。I did not eat salad.

Note: は particle is used in a negative sentence instead ofを particle.