Konnichiwa!
こんばんは!
Today’s YT Live lesson topic was “All About Particles ~Live lesson version~”.
Particle is one of the most concerned topics amongst Japanese learners.
In this lesson, I introduced several Japanese particles for the beginners.
Let’s check out the particles with the example sentences!
First of all, what are the particles?
- Japanese particles, joshi or “tenioha”(てにをは)in Japanese
- Suffixes or short words in Japanese grammar that immediately follow the modified noun, verb, adjective, or sentence.
- Their grammatical range can indicate various meanings and functions, such as speaker affect and assertiveness.
は: Topic Marker
– pronounces “wa” but written “ha: は”
– interpret “〜は”= “as for~”
- わたしは かずえです。
Watashi wa Kazue desu.
I’m Kazue (As for I, Kazue) - さとうさんは がくせいです。
Sato-san wa gakusee desu.
Sato-san is a student. (As for Sato-san, student.) - きょうは はれです。
Kyoo wa hare desu.
Today is sunny. (As for today, it’s sunny.)
を: Object Marker
– pronounces “o” but written “wo: を”
– this particle を appears just after the objet
- ステーキを たべます。
Suteeki o tabemasu.
I eat stake
- 日本語を べんきょうします。
Nihongo o benkyooshimasu.
I study Japanese.
が (1): “but”
- ビールは すきですが、ワインは きらいです。
biiru wa suki desu ga, wain wa kirai desu.
I like beer but I don’t like wine.
が(2): Subject marker
– For certain phrases, ”ga” is used.
– below are the phrases where”ga” is used.
- 〜が あります
~ ga arimasu.
e.g. hon ga arimasu. (There is a book.) – for inanimate object
- 〜が います
~ ga imasu.
e.g. otokonoko ga imasu. (There is a boy.) – for animate object.
- 〜が すきです
~ ga suki desu
e.g. keeki ga suki desu. (I like cake.)
- 〜がじょうずです
~ ga jyoozu desu. 【good at about someone’s (not oneself)】
e.g. kanojo wa tenisu ga joozu desu. (She is good at tennis.)
- 〜がとくいです
~ ga tokui desu. 【good at about oneself /someone】
e.g. ryoori ga tokui desu. (I’m good at cooking.)
- 〜が わかります
~ ga wakarimasu.
e.g. Nihongo ga wakarimasu. (I understand Japanese.)
- せが たかいです
Se ga takai desu.
e.g. Maria-san wa se ga takai desu. (Maria-san is tall. *literal translation: “height is tall”)
【for physical features. Like has long hair, big hands, small eyes, big body, etc.: ~(body part) ga ~features~)】
が(3) is changed to は when compare things (from above phrases)
- ビールが すきです。
biiru ga suki desu.
↓
- ビールは すきですが、ワインは きらいです。
biiru wa suki desu ga, wain wa kirai desu.
が(4): used in Interrogative question
- どの人が さとうさんですか?
Donohito ga Sato-san desu ka? Who is Mr. Sato?
→ あの人が さとうさんです。
anohito ga Sato-san desu. That person is Mr. Sato.
→ わたしが さとうです。
watashi ga Sato-desu. I am the Sato.
- だれが いちばん せが たかい ですか。
Dare ga ichiban se gatakaidesu ka? Who is the tallest?
へ: Direction Marker
– pronounces “e”(same as え) but written “he: へ”
- がっこうへ いきます。
Gakko e ikimasu.
I go to the school.
に(1): indicates a movement from one pace to another
【Interchangeable to the above mentioned へ】
- がっこうに いきます。
Gakko ni ikimasu.
I go to the school.
に(2): indicates a location ~in, at on, etc. for Non-action verb.
Indicates a location of living
- あそこに いぬが います。
Asoko ni inu ga imasu.
There is a dog over there.
- いま、えきにいます。
Ima eki ni imasu.
I’m at the station now.
- わたしは こうべに すんでいます。
Watashi wa Kobe ni sunde imasu.
I’m living in Kobe.
に(3): indicates time/ specific date
- 6時に おきます。
6ji ni okimasu.
I wake up at six.
- 8がつに なつまつりが あります。
8gatu ni natsumatsuri ga arimasu.
There is (a) summer festival(s) in August.
- げつようびに がっこうへ いきます。
Getsuyoobi ni gakko e ikimasu.
I go to school on Monday.
に(4): indicates an interval of time
- 1週間に 1回 会社へ 行きます。
Isshuukan ni ikkai kaisha e ikimasu.
I go to the office once a week.
- 1ヶ月に2回 大阪へ 行きます。
Ikkagetsu ni nikai Osaka e ikimasu.
I go to Osaka twice a month.
- 1日に3回 歯をみがきます。
Ichinichi ni sankai ha o migakimasu.
I brush my teeth three times a day.
に(5): indicates the recipients of the action: to〜, from〜
- 友達に 時計を あげました。
Tomodachi ni tokee wo agemashita.
I gave a watch to my friend.
- 友達に プレゼントを もらった。
Tomodachi ni purezento o moratta.
I received a present from my friend.
- ~に おしえます、〜に ならいます -> same manner
~ ni oshiemasu, ~ ni naraimasu
teach to ~ , learn from ~
に(6): indicates the result of the change
- ジョンさんは いしゃに なりました。
John-san wa isha ni narimashita.
Jon-san became a doctor.
- びょうきに なりました。
byooki ni narimashita.
I became sick.
に(7): indicates the purpose of visiting
- 神戸へ 船を 見に 行きました。
Kobe e fune o mini ikimashita.
I went to Kobe to watch a ship.
- 友達に 会いに 東京へ 行きました。
tomodachi ni aini Tokyo e ikimashita
I went to Tokyo to meet my friend.
Please check the full explanation in the lesson video 🤗
*What I explained here are not all of the Particles used in Japan. There are many more particles exist in Japanese.
So please keep up learning Japanese! 🙂
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Yoi ichinichi o!
(Have a nice day!)
-Kazue