Particles

Introduction
Particles play very important role in Japanese language and probably it is the most difficult and confusing aspect in a Japanese sentence. A particle (/) is a word that shows the relationship of a word, a phrase, or a clause to the rest of the sentence. There are also particles that have a peculiar usage which is not found in English. Most particles are multi-functional. Below is the explanation of some particles used frequently in Japanese language, but please note that these explanations are not all explanations about particles. ga() Usage Indicates direct object Means

Basu ga kimashita.

Bus has come.

It stresses the word before . It is much used in a answer to interrogative. () Kyou wa dare ga kimasuka? () Inoue san ga kimasu. It makes a sentence a part of bigger sentence. () Kono eiga wa omoshiroi desu. () () Kono eiga ga omoshiroi koto wa jijitsu desu. Who will come today? Mr.Inoue comes.

This movie is interesting.

It is fact that this movie is interesting.

NOTE: In this function, '' indicates a subject and '' indicates topic of the sentence. There are many sentences in which subject of the sentence matches for topic of the sentence. For example, in upper sentence, can be called not only as a topic but also as a subject of the sentence. But in the sentence below, subject is different from the topic of the sentence.

(no) Usage Noun1 (no) Noun2 () Watashi no hon. () Tom san no tokei. Means

My book.

Tom's clock.

wa() Usage Indicates direct object Watashi wa igirisu jin desu. () Means

I am British.

Kyou wa yasumi desu.

Today is a holiday.

(wo) Usage Indicates direct object () () () Watashi wa hon o yomimasu. () () () Watashi wa hon o yomimasu. Means

I read a book.

I read a book.

(ni Usage time/date (ni 7 () () Shichiji ni okimasu. () 10 () () Kaigi wa juuji ni hajimarimasu. place (ni/ Goal of movement () () Gakkou ni ikimasu. () () Akihabara ni ikimasu. Means

I get up at seven.

Meeting starts at ten.

I go to school.

I go to Akihabara.

(de) Usage (de) Something () Basu de ikimasu. place (ni/ Goal of movement () Pen de kakimasu. () () Tokyo de shigoto o shimasu. Means

I go by bus.

I write with pen.

I work in Tokyo.

(to) Usage Noun to () Noun () () Watashi wa suupaa de niku to sakana o kaimasu. () () () Tokyo to London no jisa wa nanjikan desuka? Something with to () () () () () Tomodachi to eiga o mi ni ikimashita. Means

I will buy meat and fish at the supermarket.

What's the time difference between Tokyo and London?

I went to see a movie with my friend.

() () () () Raishuu haha to ryokou ni ikimasu.

I'm going to travel with my mother.