Particle Review
Here is a quick review of the function of particles. Please refer to the
Grammar Index for links back to the Grammar Notes of each Module where the particles first appeared.は (pronounced "wa"): Follows the topic of a sentence.
が: Follows the subject of a sentence, used to emphasize.
Many people have trouble with wa and ga. The key to understanding these two particles is to understand the difference between a "topic" and a "subject." Look at this sentence:
きょう は じんじゃ へ いきます。
"Today I'm going to a shrine."The topic is "today" (きょう), which is followed by は. The subject is "I" which is left out. If you wanted to emphasize that YOU are going to the shrine, not Bob or Pete, you would use が:
きょう、わたし が じんじゃ へ いきます。
"Today it is I who will go to a shrine."If, however, you make yourself the topic as in
きょう わたし は じんじゃ へ いきます。
you are inferring "As for me, I think I'll go to a shrine today. You can also have more than one topic in a sentence:
きょう は わたし は じんじゃ へ いきます。
Particle は is often left off in casual conversations.
を: Follows the direct object
に: 1. at or on + time word (clock or day) 2. "to"
へ (pronounced "e"): "to" with a final destination in mind
も: also
と: "and" (can only be used to connect nouns)
で: "at" (to be followed by an action verb)
の: Connects two nouns when the first modifies the second EXCEPT in the case of na nouns
Here is a simple multiple choice particle quiz in roomaji
Try a more challenging particle quiz (Multiple Choice)