Category: Particles

は (pronounced “wa”): topic marker (“as for X, …”) presents the topic you want to talk about

を (pronounced “o”): indicates direct object = what is involved/affected by the event. used with verbs. ほん を よみます = I read a book

に: movement and time. 日本 に いきます = I go to Japan. Used for months/days of the weeks and numerical time expressions but not for relative time expressions (today, tomorrow), regular intervals (every day, sometimes) and “when” (いつ). Time: ごる or ごるに instead of に = approximately (12:00 ごるに = at about 12:00)

に : between な-Adjectives + noun = Adverb. しずか　に　のみました = drank quietly

ヘ (pronounced “e”): for movement equal to に (but not for time!)

で: place. うち で = at home

も: also. 私も日本人です = i am also japanese

も: questionword + も = strong negation. こうえんに何もありません = in the park is nothing. 木の下にだれもいません = nobody is under the tree.

と: and. そこ に 本 と 木 です = there is a book and a tree

〜の = ‘s
Jo の neko = Jo’s cat
これは Joのneko です = This is Jo’s cat

Specifying nouns: [noun 1] の [noun 2] = specifying noun 2 using noun 1

eg. Nihon の neko (specifying neko) = Japan’s Cat (Cat of Japan) = japanese cat
Karate の sensei (specifying sensei) = Karate’s teacher (teacher of Karate) = Karate teacher

は (spoken “wa” not “ha”) = “as for”, “is”… Jo は student desu = as for Jo, he is a student
neko は kawaii desu = as for the cat, it is cute = The cat is cute.

は is placed after the subject.
Subject + は = as for [subject] / [subject] is…

Make it a question:
neko は ikura desu ka? = as for the cat, how much is it? = How much is the cat?

が is basically the same, but stresses the subject (the part BEFORE が). は stresses the part AFTER the は

は talks about something.
watashi は Jo desu = I am Jo

が identifies something.
watashi が Jo desu! = I am Jo

Use も instead of は to say “also” / “too”.

この ねこ は かわいい です。その いぬ も かわいい です。

this cat is cute. that dog is cute, too.