Also Read: Understanding Japanese Writing | The Basics: Forming Japanese Sentences
PARTICLES IN
JAPANESE WRITING
Particles are used in Japanese sentences.
They follow words to define the function of the word they follow. They are somewhat similar to English prepositions. To learn about particles you must also understand the structure of a Japanese sentence.
In Japanese, the spoken word and the written word are different, whereas in English, the spoken word and the written word are the same.
Also, there is no spacing of written (characters) words in Japanese as there is in English.
In Japanese:
the verb is at the end of the sentence,
the subject is at the beginning of the sentence,
particles follow the sentence Topic/subject, and the direct object of the verb.
verbs in Japanese are either present tense or past tense, there is no future tense,
future tense verbs use the present tense,
particles are not affected by verb tenses,
particles must follow a word
On this page you can read some common particles; including their meaning, how to write them, and example sentences to show how they are used in a sentence.
All the verbs shown are 'present tense informal'.
Japanese Particles
wa used in sentences to define the sentence, Topic: Written as: はExample sentence with particle, wa:
Watashi wa niwatori o taberu.
Japanese: I chicken eat.
English Translation: I eat chicken
The topic of this sentence is watashi(I), therefore it is followed by the particle, wa.
wo(o) used in sentences to define, Direct Object of Verb: Written as: を
Example sentence with particle, wo(o):
Watashi wa niwatori o taberu.
Japanese: I chicken eat.
English Translation: I eat chicken
The Direct Object of the Verb in this sentence is niwatori(chicken), therefore it is followed by the particle, wo(o) and, is usually written as o
ka used at end of a sentence, to Ask a Question: Written as: か
Example sentence with particle, ka:
Niwatori wa yoidesu ka?
Japanese: Chicken good is it?
English Translation: Is the chicken good?
Asking a question in this sentence we use particle ka? ka is at the end of the sentence.
yo at end of a a sentence to define, emphasis Written as: よ
Example sentence with particle, yo:
Kyoushi desu yo!
Japanese: Teacher, so you are!.
English Translation: So, you're a teacher!
The particle yo, is used to show emphasis in the sentence, therefore yo is at the end of the sentence.
ne used in sentences to, confirm a statement, something said Written as: ね
Example sentence with particle, ne:
Kyoushi desu ne!
Japanese: Your a teacher, you not are?
English Translation: Your a teacher, are you not?
The particle ne, is used to 'confirm something said' in a sentence, therefore ne is at the end of the sentence.
mo used in sentences to define, both, also, either, neither, nor Written as: も
Example sentence with particle, mo:
Biru mo wain mo nomu
Japanese: Beer wine I both drink.
English Translation: I drink both beer and wine.
The particle mo, is used for 'both, therefore mo is after each noun word - biru(beer), wain(wine), defined in the sentence.
ni used in sentences to define, exact location, direction Written as: に
Example sentence with particle, ni:
Watashi wa kaisha ni iku
Japanese: I to my company go.
English Translation: I go to my company.
The particle ni, is used when defining a 'exact' location, therefore ni is after the noun word in the sentence - kaisha(company)
e used in sentences to define, a 'not exact' location, direction Written as: へ
Example sentence with particle, e:
Watashi wa jiki Girisha e iku
Japanese: I soon to Greece go.
English Translation: I go to Greece soon.
The particle e, is used when defining a 'not exact' location, therefore e is after the noun in the sentence - Girisha (Greece)
no used in sentences to define, possession Written as: の
Example sentence with particle, no:
Kore wa watashi no nomi desu
Japanese: This my drink is.
English Translation: This is my drink.
The particle no, is used when defining 'possession, therefore no is after the noun/subject watashi(I) in the sentence.
to used in sentences to, connect nouns and pronouns Written as: と
Example sentence with particle, to:
Biru to wain o konomu
Japanese: Beer and wine I like.
English Translation: I like beer and wine.
The particle 'to' is used to connect nouns, therefore it is after the noun biru (beer) in the sentence.
de used in sentences to, show or mean action Written as: で
Example sentence with particle, de:
Watashi wa nihongo de shinki o kaita
Japanese: I Japanese novel wrote.
English Translation: I wrote a Japanese novel.
The particle de is used to 'show or mean action' therefore de is after the noun nihongo (Japanese) in the sentence.
Also, in this sentence we are using the verb 'wrote', which is the past tense of the verb 'write', so we must also change our verb to past tense: present tense of write is kaku - so to change to past tense we remove the ku and add 'ita' - kaita.
To Learn about verbs in Japanese writing and verb tenses gohere
In total, there are almost 200 particles in Japanese, and most of them serve more than one purpose or function in sentences. You view a list of them at this website.
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