Particles Intro

In Japanese, grammatical parts of the sentence are shown very clearly by "particles." These particles are placed after the word (or phrase) they modify. The best way to learn to use them is to memorize useful examples and say them!

は wa - overall topic particle - shows the main topic of the conversation [NOTE: it is a hiragana ha but pronounced as "wa"]

あなた　 は 　やさしい。
anata wa yasashii .
You are nice.
[Makes "you" the main topic]

が ga - the subject particle - sometimes the difference between wa and ga are hard to tell. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably with only a slight change in meaning. See next entry for more on this.

ねこ　 が 　へん。
neko ga hen.
The cat is strange.
[Makes the "cat" the subject]

Comparing は and が (by Paul_b)

The topic particle は can easily be confused with the subject particle が. That is because は overrides が, in other words in a sentence something can very easily be both the topic and the subject of that sentence. In such cases the が 'disappears' and it looks like the は is acting as a subject marker.

Take this simple sentence.

わたしはクレイです。
watashi wa kurei desu.
I am Clay.
["I" (that is the speaker, Clay) is the topic and now this is known, it won't be repeated unless the topic changes]

What is the subject of the sentence? That's right - "I" watashi is. But because "I" is also the topic only the topic marker は is used. Now we'll let Clay continue and say another sentence ...

ねこがすきです。
neko ga suki desu.
(I) like cats.
["cats" is the subject here. "I" is still the topic. He could have said "watashi wa neko ga suki desu." but that is unnecessary because he has already said "watashi wa" establishing the topic in the previous sentence.]

if both are in a sentence, the wa is first.

を o - The Direct Object particle

本　 を 　よみました。
hon o yomimashita.
(I) read a book.
[NOTE: it makes "book" the object. If we were to say "I" it would be watashi wa at the beginning.]

に ni - usually shows movement (to)

日本　 に 　いきましょう！
nihon ni ikimashou!
Let's go to Japan!
[There is movement going to Japan ]

or shows time (at)

６時　 に 　いきましょう！
roku ji ni ikimashou!
Let's go at 6.

で de - Shows location (at, in)

日本　 で 　遊びましょう！
nihon de asobimashou!
Let's play (have fun) in Japan!
[Notice there is no movement]

FOR MORE ON THIS ...