Introduction to Particles

Vocabulary

私(わたし)わたしI, me

学生(がくせい)がく・せいstudent

誰(だれ)だれwho

本(ほん)ほんbook

読(よ)むよ・むu-verbto read

学校(がっこう)がっ・こうschool

行(い)くい・くu-verbto go

日本(にっぽん)に・ほんJapan

来(く)るく・るirregularto come

映画(えいが)えい・がmovie

見(み)るみ・るru-verbto watch

友達(ともだち)とも・だちfriend

会(あ)うあ・うu-verbto meet

Particles are small suffixes that follow a word to define its grammatical function in the sentence.

The Topic Particle は

The particle は (written as は but pronounced “wa”) identifies the topic of the sentence.

Examples

私(わたし)は学生(がくせい)だ。As for me, I am a student.

友達(ともだち)は日本人(にっぽんじん)だ。As for my friend, he is Japanese.

映画(えいが)は面白(おもしろ)い。As for the movie, it is interesting.

The Subject Particle が

The particle が identifies the specific subject that is performing the action or state.

Examples

誰(だれ)が来(き)ましたか？Who came?

水(みず)が欲(ほ)しい。I want water.

猫(ねこ)がいる。There is a cat.

The Object Particle を

The particle を (pronounced “o”) marks the direct object of a verb—the thing that is being acted upon.

Examples

本(ほん)を読(よ)む。Read a book.

映画(えいが)を見(み)る。Watch a movie.

友達(ともだち)に会(あ)う。Meet a friend.

The Target/Direction Particle に

The particle に indicates a target location, time, or movement towards something.

Examples

学校(がっこう)に行(い)く。Go to school.

七(なな)時(じ)に起(お)きる。Wake up at 7 o'clock.

友達(ともだち)に話(はな)す。Talk to a friend.

The Direction Particle へ

This particle (pronounced “e”) is similar to に but emphasizes direction rather than the destination itself.

Examples

日本(にっぽん)へ行(い)く。Go towards/to Japan.

東(ひがし)へ進(すす)む。Proceed eastward.

未来(みらい)へ向(む)かう。Head toward the future.

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Note: に vs へ — When to use which?

Both に and へ can indicate direction/destination, but they have subtle differences:

Use に when:

• You emphasize the arrival point or specific destination
• Indicating a precise time (へ cannot be used for time)
• Marking the recipient of an action (indirect object)
• Describing purpose with verbs of motion

駅(えき)に着(つ)いた。I arrived at the station. (arrival point)

三(さん)時(じ)に会(あ)う。Meet at 3 o'clock. (time - only に works)

彼(かれ)に本(ほん)をあげた。I gave him a book. (recipient - only に works)

買い物(かいもの)に行(い)く。Go shopping. (purpose - only に works)

Use へ when:

• You emphasize the direction or journey rather than arrival
• The destination is abstract or metaphorical
• You want a softer, more literary tone

北(きた)へ向(む)かう。Head northward. (direction emphasis)

成功(せいこう)へ進(すす)む。Advance toward success. (abstract destination)

故郷(こきょう)へ帰(かえ)る。Return to my hometown. (emotional/literary)

Interchangeable cases:

学校(がっこう)に行(い)く。 / 学校(がっこう)へ行(い)く。Go to school. (both work, に slightly more common)

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Note: は vs が — The topic-subject distinction

This is one of the trickiest distinctions in Japanese. Here’s when to use each:

Use は (topic marker) when:

• Introducing known/old information as the topic
• Making general statements or descriptions
• Contrasting one thing with another
• The information about the topic is the focus

私(わたし)は学生(がくせい)です。I am a student. (introducing yourself)

象(ぞう)は鼻(はな)が長(なが)い。Elephants have long noses. (general fact)

肉(にく)は食(た)べるが、魚(さかな)は食(た)べない。I eat meat, but I don't eat fish. (contrast)

田中(たなか)さんは来(き)ました。Tanaka-san came. (focus: the coming)

Use が (subject marker) when:

• Introducing new/unknown information
• Answering “who/what” questions
• Describing existence (いる/ある)
• Expressing desires, abilities, likes (欲(ほ)しい, できる, 好(す)き)
• In subordinate clauses

誰(だれ)が来(き)た？ 田中(たなか)さんが来(き)た。Who came? Tanaka-san came. (new info)

猫(ねこ)がいる。There is a cat. (existence)

水(みず)が欲(ほ)しい。I want water. (desire)

日本語(にほんご)ができる。I can speak Japanese. (ability)

私(わたし)が作(つく)った料理(りょうり)The food that I made. (subordinate clause)

Key difference in nuance:

私(わたし)は行(い)く。As for me, I will go. (maybe others won't)

私(わたし)が行(い)く。I will go. (I'm the one, not someone else)