Japanese particles: a beginner’s guide

Japanese particles are short words placed after a word to show its role in the sentence – like prepositions in English, but they come after. The most important are は (topic), が (subject), を (object), に (destination/time) and で (place of action/means).

The core particles

Particle	Main job	Example
は wa	Topic – what the sentence is about	私は学生です。 I am a student.
が ga	Subject – who or what does / is something	雨が降っています。 It is raining. (Rain is falling.)
を o	Direct object of an action	パンを食べます。 I eat bread.
に ni	Destination, point in time, location of existence, recipient	七時に起きます。 I get up at seven.
で de	Place where an action happens; means or tool	バスで行きます。 I go by bus.
へ e	Direction (towards)	日本へ行きます。 I am going to Japan.
と to	“and” between nouns; “with” someone	友達と映画を見ます。 I watch a film with a friend.
も mo	“also, too” (replaces は, が or を)	私も行きます。 I am going too.
の no	Possession or linking nouns (“of”, “’s”)	田中さんの本 Mr Tanaka’s book
から kara	“from”; also “because”	駅から歩きます。 I walk from the station.
まで made	“until, as far as”	九時から五時まで働きます。 I work from nine until five.
か ka	Turns a sentence into a question	日本人ですか。 Are you Japanese?
ね ne	Seeks agreement (“isn’t it?”)	いい天気ですね。 Nice weather, isn’t it?
よ yo	Tells the listener something new	あの店は高いですよ。 That shop is expensive, you know.

Note: as particles, は is pronounced “wa”, へ “e” and を “o”.

The pairs learners mix up

は vs が – topic versus subject.
に vs で – where something is versus where something happens.
に vs へ – both mark a destination; へ stresses the direction, に the arrival point. 日本に行く and 日本へ行く are both correct.

Practice

1. 私＿学生です。

I am a student.

2. 水＿飲みます。

I drink water.

3. 友達＿話します。

I talk with a friend.

4. これは私＿本です。

This is my book.

5. 駅＿歩きます。

I walk from the station.

More grammar

は vs が – what’s the difference?Topic vs subject, with the rules of thumb に vs で – where something is vs where it happensLocation, destination, time and means The te-form: how to make it and when to use itConjugation rules and the main uses

Last reviewed 2026-10-09 by the I Love Kanji team.