Overview
This lecture covers the main Japanese particles, explaining their core functions, usage, pronunciation rules, and providing example sentences for each.
The Particle "Wa" (は)
- Wa is the topic particle, used after the topic to indicate what the sentence is about.
- Often translated as "as for" or "speaking of" in English.
- Written as は, but always pronounced "wa" as a particle.
- Can show contrast by replacing other particles, e.g., "I eat fish but not meat."
The Particle "Ga" (が)
- Ga is the subject particle, marking the subject or sometimes the object for certain verbs/adjectives.
- Used to indicate existence with arimasu (inanimate) and imasu (animate).
- Can mark the object of desire, e.g., "I want time" (watashi wa jikan ga hoshii).
- Acceptable pronunciations include "ga" and nasal "nga."
The Particle "O" (を)
- O is the object particle, marking the direct object of an action.
- Written as を, pronounced "o."
- Can indicate the place of movement with motion verbs (e.g., "walk through the park" uses "kouen o arukimasu").
The Particle "E" (へ)
- E is the direction particle, usually indicating the destination or goal.
- Written as へ, pronounced "e" when a particle.
- Can also mark the recipient of an action.
The Particle "Ni" (に)
- Ni marks location, point in time, time duration, movement, or purpose.
- Used with arimasu/imasu to indicate where something exists.
- Marks time expressions such as "at 7 o’clock" or "on Monday."
The Particle "De" (で)
- De marks the place where an action occurs, means of doing something, or material used.
- Can't be used with existence verbs; use "ni" instead.
- Also marks means of transportation, tools, and materials.
The Particle "No" (の)
- No is the modifying particle, placed between two nouns to show possession or attributes.
- Functions like "of" or the possessive (’s) in English.
- Can show category, origin, or material.
The Particle "To" (と)
- To is the connecting particle, meaning "and" between nouns or "with" for involvement.
- Comes after every noun in a full list except the last.
- Implies doing something together.
The Particle "Ka" (か)
- Ka is the question particle, turning statements into questions when placed at the end.
- Word order does not change—just add "ka" for questions.
- Can also indicate alternatives ("or") between choices.
The Particle "Mo" (も)
- Mo means "also," "too," or emphasizes amount/extent.
- Replaces "wa" or "ga" for inclusion or emphasis, e.g., "Ken is also Canadian."
- Used for emphasis like "as many as" or "even."
The Particle "Kara" (から)
- Kara means "from," marking a starting point in time or place.
- Used to indicate material when the original state isn’t obvious.
The Particle "Made" (まで)
- Made means "until," "to," or "as far as," marking the ending point of actions, time, or places.
- Indicates extent or unexpected objects, e.g., "even children have phones."
Key Terms & Definitions
- Particle — a grammatical marker providing core sentence information in Japanese.
- Topic Particle (wa) — marks the topic; often equates to "as for."
- Subject Particle (ga) — marks the subject or object in some contexts.
- Object Particle (o) — marks the direct object.
- Direction Particle (e) — indicates direction or recipient.
- Location/Time Particle (ni) — marks location, time, movement.
- Means/Location Particle (de) — marks where an action occurs or means used.
- Possessive Particle (no) — shows ownership or attributes.
- Connecting Particle (to) — links nouns (and), or indicates "with."
- Question Particle (ka) — turns statements into questions or alternatives.
- Inclusive Particle (mo) — means "also," "even," or emphasizes extent.
- Starting Point Particle (kara) — means "from," for location, time, or material.
- Limiting Particle (made) — denotes "until," "to," or extent.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize example sentences for each particle.
- Practice constructing sentences using each particle's core functions.
- Prepare for the next lesson on the remaining Japanese particles.