が (ga) - Subject Particle
[Subject]が[Predicate]
Explanation
Marks the grammatical subject, introduces new information, or answers "who/what" questions.
Formation
Noun + が
Examples
Usage Notes
- Use for new information or emphasis
- Required after question words
- Used with adjectives of emotion/ability when stating facts
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- The は/が distinction is one of the hardest aspects of Japanese
- が emphasizes what comes before it, は emphasizes what comes after
- In "私は学生です" you're talking about yourself; in "私が学生です" you're identifying who the student is
Related Grammar from "Essential Particles"
は (wa) - Topic Particle
[Topic]は[Comment]
Marks the topic of the sentence - what you're talking about. The rest of the sentence is a comment about this topic.
を (wo/o) - Direct Object Particle
[Object]を[Transitive Verb]
Marks the direct object of a transitive verb - the thing receiving the action.
に (ni) - Target/Time/Location Particle
Various uses
Multi-purpose particle indicating location, time, direction, purpose, or indirect object.