Particles

Japanese has little words called particles, usually made up of one or two syllables (such as wa, ga, o etc). Particles , not word order indicate subjects & objects in sentences.

For eg, o is placed after direct objects and wa/ga is placed after subjects.

Regardless of word order, it is always clear in a Japanese sentence which word is the subject & which word is the direct object. Only verbs have fixed location ~ the verb comes at the end of the sentence or just before if ka / ne/ yo follows the verb.

Particles can be very confusing & I'm also one of them getting confused over it.
Below is what I've read from references & hopefully you'll find it a little useful.

Wa is the main topic particle of the conversation
Ga is the subject particle of the conversation

Eg Watashi wa Tom desu (I am Tom)
[Tom is the topic and now this is known, it won't be repeated unless the topic changes]

Neko ga suki desu. (I) like cats
["Cats" are actually the 'subject' here]

Ga with Question Words :
Question words always use ga. When a question word such as "who" and "what" is the subject of a sentence, it is always followed by "ga," never by "wa." To answer the question, it also has to be followed by "ga."

Dare ga kimasu ka - Who is coming?
Yoko ga kimasu - Yoko is coming.
Nani ga oishii - What tastes good?

O is the direct object particle
Hon o yomimashita - (I) read a book
[The book is the object]

Ni is a multipurpose marker. Can be used in the following :

Shows movement (to)
Nihon ni ikimashou - Let's go to Japan!
[There is movement going to Japan]

Shows time (at)
Roku ji ni ikimashou - Let's go at 6!

In/at a place
Tokyo ni sundeimasu - (I) live in Tokyo

Purpose (to)
Koohii ni shimashou - Let's have coffee.

The particle de following a noun has two uses. One is to indicate "how" or "with what instrument" something is done.
Watashi wa inu o mizu de araimasu - I wash a dog with water
Otosan wa tegami o pen de kakimasu - Father writes a letter with a pen

The second use of de is to express "action in a place". It can mean in/at/on

Nihon de asobimashou - Let's play (have fun) in Japan!
Watashi wa zasshi o basu de yomimasu - I read a magazine on a bus
Watashi wa e o yama de kakimasu - I draw a picture at a mountain

The particle ne at the end of a sentence solicits agreement from the listener.
It can mean "Isn't it?", "Don't you?", "Won't you?" etc
Ara wa hon desu ne - That is a book, isn't it?
Anata wa ringo o tabemasu ne - You'll eat an apple, wont you?

When the particle to follows a person, it means together/along with.
Watashi we eiga o Hanako san to mimasu - I watch a movie with Hanako
Ranchi o watashi to tabemasen ka - Would you like to eat lunch with me?

Yo at the end of a sentence highlights what the speaker is saying. It is similar to an exclamation mark in English.
Are wa watashi-tachi no basu desu yo - That is our bus!

The particle to when used between nouns is translated as and or both __ and __.
An apple and a tangerine - Ringo to Mikan

The particle ka when used between nouns is translated as or either __ or __.
An apple or an orange - Ringo ka Orenji

Particles may be separated into three categories depending on where they appear in sentences.

1. Ka, ne, yo : placed at the end of a sentence, after the verb meaning ?, Isn't it?, !
2. To, ka, no : put between words meaning and, or & posessive s ('s)
3. Wa, o de, to : describe & follow nouns/pronouns

Note that ka appears in two different locations for two different purposes in sentences.
One is for questions at the end of sentences & another to mean or between words.
To also appears in two different locations ~ One between nouns/pronouns meaning and & another after nouns/pronouns meaning with.

Oh-oh, reading back at what i've written, this is a rather lengthy post, haha! Hopefully after reading it through, it can help you shed some light over the use of different particles & not see stars instead *-*

Posted By : Jasvale

Labels: Introduction