Japanese Grammar Particles

All about Japanese Particles

The function of Japanese particles
Japanese particles are small words that indicate relations of words within a sentence. They
follow other words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives are parts of a sentence. Some but not all
can be compared to prepositions in English. The Japanese language uses a total of 188
particles.

List of 188 Japanese particles

No Particle

Meaning / usage

(wa)

Indicantes the topic of a sentence

(ka)

At the end of a sentence indicating a

question

(ga)

Indicates the subject of a sentence

(ni)

Indicates a location

(no)

Indicates possession

(wa)

Indicates a contrast between 2 items

(ni)

Indicates time or frequency

(e)

Indicates direction

(wo/o)

Indicates the direct object of a verb

10 (to)

Used to connect and list up multiple items

11 (ya)

Used to connect and partially list up

multiple items

12 (nado)

Used with (ya) to partially list up

multiple items

13 (mo)

means too, either, also

14 (mo)

bothand, neithernor

15 (ni)

Indicates the indirect object of a verb

16 (ni)

Indicates the surface of a object where some

action takes place

17 (de)

Indicates the location of an action

18 (to)

Together with

19 (no)

Indicates an apposition

20 (kara)

Indicates a starting point in time or place

21 (yori)

Indicates a starting point in time or place

but more formal than kara (20)

22 (made)

Indicates a limit on time, space or quantity

23 (kurai)

Indicates an approximate amount

24 (hodo)

Indicates an approximate amount

25 (bakari)

Indicates an approximate amount

26 (de)

Indicates a means or material

27 (ka)

Indicates a choice or alternative

28 (wo/o)

Indicates a point of departure

29 (wo/o)

Indicates a route of a movement/motion

30 (ni)

Indicates a point of arrival

31 (ni)

Indicates an entering motion

32 (ni)

Used together with a verb to express a

purpose

33 (to)

Used when quoting someone

34 (to iu)

Indicates the name of something

35 (toka)

something like

36 (de)

Indicates a limit or scope

37 (to)

Indicates a comparison

38 (yori)

Indicates a comparison

39 (yori)

Indicates superlative

40 (kurai)

Indicates a comparison

41 (hodo)

Indicates a comparison in a negative

sentence

42 (ka)

someone, something

43 (mo)

nothing, nobody, nowhere if used with

an interrogative word

44 (ni)

Used with a verb to indicate a change or

choice

45 (wo/o
suru)

Expresses an occupation or position

46 (demo)

Indicates emphasis

47 (demo)

Together with an interrogative word it

means anything, anyone, any time

48 (de)

Indicates a cause or a reason

49 (kara)

Indicates a source such as a giver, a cause or

material

50 (ni)

Indicates a person who gives something or

who provides a service

51 (wa) + (ga) Indicates the relation between an object /

subjects and a verb or adjective
52 (ga)

Connects two sentences with the meaning

but

53 (wo/o)

Used with an verb expressing emotions, it

indicates the cause of this emotion

54 (de)

Indicates a state / condition of something

55 (de)

Limits numbers

56 (dake)

Indicates a limit on things or amounts

57 (dake)

Indicates a limit on an action or state

58 (de)

Indicates the time of completion or

expiration of something

59 (demo)

Following a noun, means or something like

this

60 (mo)

Emphasizes in a positive or negative way

61 (demo)

Indicates two or more items as an example

of a larger list

62 (bakari)

Indicates that an item, state or action is a

single one

63 (bakari)

Indicates an action was just completed

64 (tokoro)

Indicates that an action takes place, just

took place or is about to take place

65 (ga)

Indicates the subject of subordinate clause

when it is different from the subject of the
main clause

66 (kara)

conjunction meaning after or since

67 (nagara)

Indicates that an action is happening

simultaneously

68 (ga)

Indicates the subject of a relative clause

69 (no)

Indicates the subject of a relative clause

70 (kara)

Used as a conjunction and indicates a cause

or reason

71 (node)

Indicates a strong reason

72 (no)

Indicates a modified pronoun

73 (no)

Used to nominalize verbs & sentences

74 (nara)

Used as a conjunction and indicates a

supposition or condition

75 (nara)

Indicates a topics and is used as an

alternative to wa (No.1)

76 (to)

Indicates a condition that results in an

inevitable outcome

77 (ba)

Used as a conjunction to express a probable

results

78 (ba)

all you have to do

79 (ba)

Used to enumerate two or more actions or

states

80 (tara)

Used as a conjunction, indicates a

supposition or condition

81 (tara)

Used as a conjunction to indicate that one

action takes place before the action
described in the main sentence

82 (tokoro)

Used as a conjunction to indicate a

condition that brings about a discovery

83 (temo)

a conjunction meaning even if

84 (temo)

Used with a set of contrasting verbs and

adjectives

85 (temo)

Together with an interrogative word it

means no matter what/where/who

86 (tewa)

Indicates a condition which will bring a

negative conclusion

87 (nomi)

Indicates a limit (similar to dake)

88 (made)

even, used to emphasize

89 (sae)

even, used to emphasize

90 (sae)

if only or as long as

91 (noni)

although, in spite of the fact that

92 (nagara)

although, though, but

93 (toka)

Indicates that a list of two ore more things

or actions is not exhaustive

94 (tari)

List of two or more actions in no particular

sequence

95 (tari)

Indicates actions or states that alternate

96 (noni)

Indicates a purpose or function

97 (no desu) Asks for an explanation or reason

98 (kiri)

Indicates a limit to an amount

99 (kiri)

Indicates the last time a certain incident

occured

10 (tomo)
0

Used with numbers and counters to mean

both or all

10 (nagara)
1

Used with numbers and counters to mean

both or all

10 (shika)
2

Used with a negative verb to indicate limits

on conditions or quantities meaning only

10 (shika
3 nai)

used with a verb meaning to have no

choice but to

10 (shi)
4

Used as a conjunction, indicating two or

more actions or states

10 (shi)
5

Used as a conjunction indicating a reason

10 (tomo)
6

Indicates inclusion

10 (ni)

Indicates the one acting or the one acted

upon

10 (ka)
8

Indicates uncertainty about something

10 (ka)
9

Indicates uncertainty about a state or reason

110 (dano)

Indicates two or more items or actions of a

longer list (similar to toka )

111 (dano)

Indicates a pair of opposite actions or states

112 (nado)

something to the effect

113 (yara)

Indicates two or more items of a longer list

114 (yara)

Indicates uncertainty

115 (temo)

Indicates an approximate limit with the

meaning of at the most

116 (tomo)

Indicates an approximate maximum or

minimum

117 (wa)

Indicates that a number is the higher or

lowest limit

118 (to)

Emphasizes a number in a negative

sentence

119 (nado)

Indicates examples

12 (kurai)
0

Expresses an extent of an action or

condition similar to gurai

12 (hodo)
1

Indicates the extend of an action or

condition

12
2

the more the more

(hodo)

12 (dake)
3

as as

12 (dake)
4

the more the more

12 (to)
5

about to do something, trying to do

something

12 (to)
6

even if, whether or not

12 (nari)

either, whetheror

7
12 (nari)
8

anything, anyone, any time

12 (koso)
9

Emphasizes the word preceding it

13 (koso)
0

Emphasizes a reason or a cause

13 (tewa)
1

Expresses repetition of an action

13 (ni)
2

Joins two or more nouns to indicate a list of

items

13 (ni)
3

Connects two or more items to indicate a

matching or a contrast

13 (ni
4 shite wa)

Indicates a generally agreed upon standard

13 (ni
5 totte)

Indicates an effect or value of a person or

thing

13 (ni
6 tsuite)

about, concerning something or

someone

13
7 (tomo tomo)

cant say whether or

13 (ga)
8

even if, whether or not

13 (wa)
9

Emphasizes contrasting elements

14 (toshite)
0

Indicates status, capacity or function

14 (toshite)
1

Provides emphasis in a negative sentence

14
2 (bakari de naku)

not only but also

14 (dake)
3

used to express not onlybut also

14 (nomi)
4

used to express not onlybut also

14 (nari)

as soon as

5
14 (ga
6 hayai ka)

as soon as

14 (ya ina as soon as

7 ya)
14
8 (ka nai uchi ni)

no sooner had, hardly had

14 (bakari)
9

Indicates the only action left to do

15 (bakari Emphasizes a reason or cause

0 ni)
15 (sura)
1

Emphasizes in the meaning of even

15 (nado)
2

Expresses a humble attitude towards an

item

15 (tomo)
3

no matter what, even if

15 To express that someone did something not

4 (tomo aroo hito) to be expected
15
5 (dokoro ka)

far from, not to mention

15 (dake ni) Indicates a cause or reason

6
15
7 (made mo nai)

there is no need to

15 (mono
8 no)

but or although

15 (tokoro even if
9 de)
16
0 (keredomo)

Connects 2 sentences meaning but or

although

16
1 (keredomo)

Indicates a preliminary remark

16 (ga)
2

Used to soften a statement or refusal

16

Indicates a desire

(keredomo)

16 (ne)
4

At the end of a sentence to confirm a

statement

16 (ne)
5

At the end of a sentence to soften a request

or suggestion

16 (ne)
6

At the end of a sentence to indicate a reason

or cause

16 (nee)
7

At the end of a sentence to indicate emotion

16 (yo)
8

At the end of a sentence to state a strong

conviction

16 (yo)
9

At the end of a sentence to articulate a

request or suggestion

17 (kashira)
0

At the end of a sentence to express

uncertainty, a request or a question and
mainly used by women

17 (kana)
1

At the end of a sentence to express

uncertainty, a request or a question and
mainly used by men

17 (na)
2

At the end of a sentence and used by men to

confirm a statement

17 (na)
3

At the end of a sentence to express a

prohibition, used by men

17 (naa)
4

At the end of a sentence to express emotion,

used by men

17 (naa)
5

At the end of a sentence to express a desire

17 (no)
6

At the end of a sentence to express a

question or soften a command, used by
women

17 (wa)
7

At the end of a sentence to soften a

statement, used by women

17 (sa)
8

At the end of a sentence to indicate slight

emphasis, used by men

17 (koto)
9

At the end of a sentence to indicate

emotion, used by women

18 (koto)
0

At the end of a sentence to express a

suggestion or invitation, used by women

18 (mono)
1

At the end of a sentence to express a reason

or excuse

18 (tomo)
2

At the end of a sentence to express an

assertion

18 (monoka) At the end of a sentence to express a

3
negative determination, used by men
18 (ya)
4

At the end of a sentence to soften a

statement, request or suggestion, used by
men

18 (tara)
5

At the end of a sentence to indicate a

suggestion or proposal

18 (yara)
6

At the end of a sentence to indicate a

rhetorical question with a negative
implication

18 (ze)
7

At the end of a sentence to add for to

sentence, used by men

18 (zo)
8

At the end of a sentence to add force to a

sentence or to express a question to oneself