I Love Kanjiは vs が – what’s the difference in Japanese?
は (wa) marks the topic – what the sentence is about, often something already known or being contrasted. が (ga) marks the subject – who or what does or is something, often new information or the specific answer to a question. In 私は学生です the topic is “me”; in だれが来ましたか (“who came?”) が asks for the subject. Context and nuance matter, but these rules cover most beginner sentences.
Side by side
| は (wa) | が (ga) | |
|---|---|---|
| Marks | The topic (“as for …”) | The grammatical subject |
| Information | Known, given, or contrasted | New, specific, or the focus |
| Questions | Not with question words | With question words: だれが, 何が |
| In a clause describing a noun | Not used | Used: 私が書いた手紙 |
1. Topic versus subject
私は学生です。
watashi wa gakusei desu
I am a student. (As for me, I’m a student.)
雨が降っています。
ame ga futte imasu
It’s raining. (Rain is falling – a new event being reported.)
2. Question words take が
A question word is always new information, so it takes が. The answer also uses が, because it supplies that new information.
だれが来ましたか。
dare ga kimashita ka
Who came?
田中さんが来ました。
Tanaka-san ga kimashita
Tanaka came.
3. は for contrast
肉は食べますが、魚は食べません。
niku wa tabemasu ga, sakana wa tabemasen
I eat meat, but I don’t eat fish.
4. Likes, skills, needs and existence take が
With 好き (like), 嫌い (dislike), 上手 (good at), 分かる (understand), できる (can do), ほしい (want), and ある/いる (there is), the thing liked, known or existing takes が – while the person is often the topic with は.
私は猫が好きです。
watashi wa neko ga suki desu
I like cats.
机の上に本があります。
tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu
There is a book on the desk.
5. Inside a describing clause, use が
これは母が作ったケーキです。
kore wa haha ga tsukutta kēki desu
This is a cake my mother made.
Common mistakes
- だれは来ましたか ✗ → だれが来ましたか ✓
- 私は猫は好きです – not wrong, but it implies a contrast (“cats, at least, I like”). For a neutral “I like cats”, use 私は猫が好きです.
- 私は作ったケーキ ✗ → 私が作ったケーキ ✓ (subject inside a describing clause)
Practice
1. だれ＿来ましたか。
Who came?
Question words like だれ and 何 take が, never は.
2. 田中さん＿来ました。
(In answer to “who came?”) Tanaka came.
The answer to a が-question uses が: the new information is who.
3. 私＿猫が好きです。
I like cats.
私 is the topic; the thing liked (猫) takes が with 好き.
4. 肉は食べますが、魚＿食べません。
I eat meat, but I don’t eat fish.
は shows contrast between meat and fish.
5. これは母＿作ったケーキです。
This is a cake my mother made.
Inside a clause that describes a noun (母が作ったケーキ), the subject takes が.
Is は ever pronounced “ha”?
Yes – inside words, like はな (hana, flower). Only the particle は is pronounced “wa”.
Can a sentence have both は and が?
Yes, often: 私は猫が好きです – は gives the topic, が marks what is liked.
More grammar
Japanese particles: は, が, を, に, で and moreWhat each basic particle does, with examplesに vs で – where something is vs where it happensLocation, destination, time and meansThe 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.