*ENGLISH Japanese Study Course

⓴Usage of Particles "が"&"は"

2023年10月26日

【広告】RAKUTEN

Extra : Let's enjoy Japanese Heroine Songs!
Extra : Let's enjoy Japanese Heroine Songs!

We introduce how to study Japanese while listening to Japanese heroine anime songs. キューティーハニー, エースをねらえ, アタックNo.1, 魔女っ子メグちゃん, Japanese Songs, @Kanbe_Ryusho2023

Extra Lesson: Let's sing Japanese Karaoke!
Extra Lesson: Let's sing Japanese Karaoke!

This time is an extra lesson. We will introduce how to study Japanese while enjoying original YouTube karaoke videos. Enjoy nostalgic anime & hero theme songs!

Japanese Study Course
Japanese Study Course

This is a free online teaching material for foreigners to learn Japanese. The course is designed that you can naturally acquire knowledge by lying down at home.

❶Basic Pronouns
❶Basic Pronouns

Pronouns are the basis of grammar. Now, let's check the list of personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and interrogative pronouns.

❷Modification of Nouns
❷Modification of Nouns

Modifying nouns with pronouns, other nouns, to-infinitives, participles and relative pronouns. Example, in Japanese usage, 'noun + "の" + noun', as in '先生の辞書'.

❸Noun/Adjective Predicate
❸Noun/Adjective Predicate

"A は B です" is called a noun predicate sentence. - "A は B が好きです" is called an adjective predicate sentence. "好きです" consists of 'Adject + Auxiliary verb'. No verb

❹Verbal predicate sentences
❹Verbal predicate sentences

Japanese grammatical constructions like "A は B を・・・。" are called verbal predicate sentences. The predicate part "・・・" consists of 'a verb + an auxiliary verb'.

❺Past tense of verbs and auxiliary verbs
❺Past tense of verbs and auxiliary verbs

If you want to say, "I bought two dictionaries." in Japanese, you would normally say "私は2冊辞書を買った。" To put it politely, it's "私は2冊辞書を買いました。"ます" ➡Past tense "ました"

❻Present/Past Progressive Tenses
❻Present/Past Progressive Tenses

Present/Past

❼Verb Situational Expressions
❼Verb Situational Expressions

Verb expressions that indicate the situation have the same form as the present progressive tense. However, that is not progressive action but shows situation.

❽Possible Expressions [1]
❽Possible Expressions [1]

If you want to say, "I can speak English." in Japanese, you would politely say "私は英語ができます。". In another Japanese expression, you would say "私は英語を話すことができます。".

❾Possible Expressions [2]
❾Possible Expressions [2]

We will study verbs that indicate "possible" in Japanese. The verb "買う(buy)" was studied in lesson 5, let me introduce a verb "買える" that indicate "can buy".

➓Future Tense Expression
➓Future Tense Expression

"Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the baseball game tomorrow." in Japanese, you would normally say "大谷翔平は明日の野球の試合で投げないだろう。". Future tense same as present tense.

⓫Guess/Conviction Expressions
⓫Guess/Conviction Expressions

Guess, Conviction, Verb(basic)/Noun/Adj+かもしれない, Possibility Guess, May be, Subjective Conviction, Must be, Objective Conjecture, Should be.

⓬Expressions of Desire
⓬Expressions of Desire

About expressions of desire, if you want to say, "I want to go on a trip with my friends during the summer vacation." in Japanese, you say "私は夏休みに友達と旅行がしたいです。".

⓭Expressions of Permissions and Prohibitions
⓭Expressions of Permissions and Prohibitions

We will study the expressions of permissions and prohibitions. "Can I go to Shibuya with my friends tomorrow?" in Japanese, you can say "私は明日、友達と渋谷に行ってもいいですか。".

⓮Expressions of Invitation & Intention
⓮Expressions of Invitation & Intention

Let's study the expressions of invitation & intention such as "Would you like to…/ Let's do…" for invitation & "I would like to…/ I'm going to…" for intention.

⓯Expressions of Requests
⓯Expressions of Requests

Let's study expressions of requests such as "Please do …" or "Will you please do…". If you want to say, "Please open the window." in Japanese, "窓を開けてください。".

⓰Expressions of "S+V+O+O"
⓰Expressions of "S+V+O+O"

Let's study expressions with two objects such as the pattern S+V+O+O like "I will give her a birthday present." You say "私は彼女に誕生日のプレゼントをあげようと思います。" in Japanese.

⓱Expressions by verb conjunctive form
⓱Expressions by verb conjunctive form

In lesson 17, we'll review the Expressions by verb conjunctive form we have already studied before. Also let's study new usages such as "・・・していきます/・・・してきます" .

⓲Usage of "i-type" adjectives
⓲Usage of "i-type" adjectives

Two types of Japanese adjectives: i-type and na-type. In Lesson 18, we study the usage of i-type adjectives. ex:"赤いリンゴ(a red apple)" or "高い山(a high mountain)".

⓳Usage of "na-type" adjectives
⓳Usage of "na-type" adjectives

Let's study "Usage of na-type adjectives." For example, "きれいな先生", "静かな音楽". They can also be used as an adjective predicate sentence, such as "この音楽は静かだ/静かではない。".

⓴Usage of Particles "が"&"は"
⓴Usage of Particles "が"&"は"

In Lesson 20, we will study the usage of particle "が" & "は". These two particles are similar in usage, so we will explain in detail how to use them differently.

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Extra : Let's enjoy Japanese Heroine Songs!
Extra Lesson: Let's sing Japanese Karaoke!
Japanese Study Course
❶Basic Pronouns
❷Modification of Nouns
❸Noun/Adjective Predicate
❹Verbal predicate sentences
❺Past tense of verbs and auxiliary verbs
❻Present/Past Progressive Tenses
❼Verb Situational Expressions
❽Possible Expressions [1]
❾Possible Expressions [2]
➓Future Tense Expression
⓫Guess/Conviction Expressions
⓬Expressions of Desire
⓭Expressions of Permissions and Prohibitions
⓮Expressions of Invitation & Intention
⓯Expressions of Requests
⓰Expressions of "S+V+O+O"
⓱Expressions by verb conjunctive form
⓲Usage of "i-type" adjectives
⓳Usage of "na-type" adjectives
⓴Usage of Particles "が"&"は"
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Japanese Study Course Lesson20

LADY JJ
LADY JJ

There are two kinds of Japanese nominative particles: particle "が" & particle "は". In Lesson 20, we will study the usage of these two particles. In particular, these two particles are similar in usage, so we will explain in detail how to use them differently.

English explanation

LADY JJ
LADY JJ

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In KANBE Ryusho's room, we have just introduced the text-to-speech software "Ondoku-san". Please make full use of the Japanese audio and further improve your Japanese language skills.
Created By ondoku3.com

20-1 Particle "が"(Nominative Particle)

Particle "が"➡ Nominative Particle : "Subject + が"

(1)私が Rabbit です

  • The particle "が" is used as a nominative particle after the subject.
  • The nominative particle "が" is used to express a specific person or thing as the subject from among multiple candidates.
  • If there are many people here and someone asks, "Who is Rabbit Boy?", you can answer, "I am Rabbit." In this case, Japanese uses " Rabbit です。" and uses "が " as the nominative particle.
  • Usually, the role of the subject is used to express a specific person or thing as the subject from among multiple candidates, so the general particle that indicates the subject is "が".

Japanese practice

English explanation

(2)Lady JJ が私の日本語の先生です

  • Please think about a case that there are plural Japanese teachers in your school. If you want to say in Japanese "JJ is my Japanese teacher." You should say "Lady JJ 私の日本語の先生です。" . In this case the subject "Lady JJ" indicates that she is the specific teacher for you by using nominative particle "が".

Japanese practice

English explanation

(3)クリスマス楽しみです

  • When talking about looking forward to a particular event, Christmas, you usually speak as "クリスマス楽しみです。"(I'm looking forward to Christmas.)

Japanese practice

English explanation

(4)Incorrect usage

  • When you want to talk about lunch as a talking topic, for example "Have you eaten lunch yet?", you always need to say "お昼ごはんもう食べましたか。". In the time, "お昼ごはん" is not exactly subject, but title of the sentence. The particle "は" is used as a title particle.
  • If you say ”×お昼ごはんもう食べましたか。This expression is incorrect. It is big grammatical mistake! This sentence expresses that as if an unidentifiable monster called "Mr. Lunch" has eaten something.

Japanese practice

English explanation

 

20-2 Particle "は"(Title Particle)

Particle "は"➡ Title Particle : "Title + は"

(1)私は音楽を聴くことが好きです

Title & Subject ➡ 私(title)+は(title particle)+音楽を聴くこと(subject)+が(nominative particle)

  • The particle "は" is used as a title particle after the title.
  • The title particle "は" is used to express a specific topic or talking point as the title at your conversation.
  • Suppose you are discussing listening to music. So, let's assume that you personally want to say, "I like listening to music.''. This is pronounced "音楽を聴くことが好きです。" in Japanese. In this case, "" means "as for me." In other words, this corresponds to the title in the text.
  • On the other hand, the subject of the predicate is "音楽を聴くこと".
  • It may be difficult to understand if you think about it from the perspective of English grammar, but in Japanese, the subject of personal pronouns is often omitted, and traditionally there is a tendency to avoid strong personal assertions. Therefore it should think as regarding of "" in "私は音楽を聴くことが好きです。" has been interpreted to mean the title like "as for me".

Japanese practice

English explanation

(2)クリスマス楽しみです

  • When talking about looking forward to a particular event, Christmas, if you say "クリスマス楽しみです。", it can be interpreted as suggesting that you are looking forward to another event more.
  • In the case of the expression "クリスマス楽しみです。", the relationship that the subject "Christmas" = "looking forward to" is clear, but in the case of the expression "クリスマス楽しみです。", "Christmas" is the topic of conversation (title), so if this expression is used, this phrase makes the listener imagine that the speaker is looking forward to something else except Christmas.
  • When you want to say something except persons as the subject , if you use the particle "が", the relationship that "the subject = the predicate" is clear, but if you use the particle "は" which is usually the title particle, you make your listener imagine the speaker is thinking about something else except the current topic.

Japanese practice

English explanation

(3)お昼ごはんはもう食べましたか

  • When you want to talk about lunch as a talking topic, for example "Have you eaten lunch yet?", you always need to say "お昼ごはんもう食べましたか。". In the time, "お昼ごはん" is not subject, but title of the sentence in Japanese. The particle "は" is used as the title particle.

 

English explanation

 

20-3 Particle "は"(Nominative Particle)

Particle "は"➡ Nominative Particle (Substitute for particle “が”): "Subject + は"

(1)税関に申告するものはありますか

  • The particle "は" is also used as a nominative particle which substitute for particle "が".
  • Please think about the example sentence "あなた税関に申告するものありますか。". In this sentence, "あなた" is the title, and "税関に申告するもの" is the subject. Omit the title here. Then it becomes "税関に申告するものありますか。". In this case, the nuance is almost the same even if the particle "'' is used as the nominative particle instead of the particle "''. You can also say in Japanese, "税関に申告するものありますか。".
  • Therefore, in addition to the "title particle'' studied above, the particle "'' can sometimes be used as a nominative particle in place of the particle "''.

Japanese practice

English explanation

(2)Lady JJ 私の日本語の先生です

  • The particle "は" is also used as a nominative particle which substitute for particle "が".
  • Please think about another case that you are talking about Lady JJ in your school. She is now on your conversation's topic. In the time if you want to say in Japanese "Lady JJ is my Japanese teacher." You should say "Lady JJ 私の日本語の先生です。". It means that the person, Lady JJ, who you are talking now is your conversation's topic and also your Japanese teacher by using the particle "は" after the subject.
  • As this particle "は" is used to express a specific topic or talking point as the title at your conversation, it should be classified as the title particle, but it leads the result of no subject at the sentence. Therefore, for grammatical reasons, we classify the particle "は'' as being used as a nominative particle instead of the particle "が'' in this case.

Japanese practice

English explanation

 

20-4 Particle "は"(Adverbial Particle)

(1)これは私の荷物ではありません。

ではありません(collocation phrase, polite negation)で++ありません

We studied this usage in lesson 3.

(2)・・・してはいけない/・・・してはいけません

Expressions of prohibitions  ➡"Verb( conjunctive form )+て++いけません"

We studied this usage in lesson 13.

(3)・・・してはだめだ/・・・してはだめです

Expressions of prohibitions  ➡"Verb( conjunctive form )+て++だめです"

We studied this usage in lesson 13.

(4)~ではだめだ/~ではだめです(~ではいけない/いけません

Expressions of prohibitions ➡"Noun+で++だめです/いけません"

We studied this usage in lesson 13.

 

Did you understand the usage of the particle "が" and the particle "は"? Please review carefully. Finally, I would like to say a few words in Japanese:
私は1年の行事の中でクリスマスが一番好きです。皆さま、クリスマスケーキはもう予約しましたか?

Rabbit boy
Rabbit boy

Japanese practice

English explanation

Lady JJ
Lady JJ

Today's lesson ends here. Ladies and gentlemen, did you understand today's theme Usage of particle "が"&"は"? Next time, we will also study "Usage of particles." See you!

See you next lesson!

Rabbit boy
Rabbit boy

English explanation

 

YouTube Video

As our new attempt, we have compiled the contents of Lesson 18 into video teaching materials. Please enjoy learning Japanese with easy-to-understand video teaching materials narrated in English.

TUTORIAL★BGM★ Usage of Particles "が" & "は" (日本語講座・助詞「が」と助詞「は」の用法)【Lesson 20】@Kanbe_Ryusho2023

Click here for "No BGM" Video, if you want.

 

Japanese Study Course
Japanese Study Course

This is a free online teaching material for foreigners to learn Japanese. The course is designed that you can naturally acquire knowledge by lying down at home.

日語學習課程
日語學習課程

我們決定提供一個學習課程,以簡單易懂的方式用繁體中文解釋日語語法。這些課程免費向公眾開放。我盡我所能提供更有效和高效的學習方法和內容,幫助您在短時間內提高技能。一起開始日語課程吧!

Chinese Study Course
Chinese Study Course

This is a free online teaching material for foreigners to learn Chinese. The best feature of the course is designed that you can naturally acquire knowledge by lying down at home and reading the content while looking at your mobile phone or tablet.

Ryukyu Dynasty
Ryukyu Dynasty

The first reason for the development of intermediary trade is Ryukyu's nice geographical location. The most important …

❶Two Great Samurais & American sages
❶Two Great Samurais & American sages

The appearance of Commodore Perry of the US shakes the Edo Shogunate, but Masahiro Abe, the senior councilor, responds admirably.

❷Two Great Samurais & American sages
❷Two Great Samurais & American sages

Consul General Harris requested "Conclusion of the Japan-US Commerce Treaty." Against Harris's assert, Tairo Naosuke Ii responded brilliantly and paved the way for the opening of the Yokohama port.

Beautiful Landscape
Beautiful Landscape

I introduce my YouTube videos, landscape photos. In addition of photos and videos in Japan, maps of places taken photos, travel information, my impressions.

Beautiful landscape of Japan
Beautiful landscape of Japan

All photos taken by Ryusho. The contents are as follows; Tokyo Sky Tree, Yokohama port, Okinawa, Umikaji Terrace, Noboribetsu Hot Springs, Kokura Castle, Rokko mountain night view

Hakodate & Southern Hokkaido Special (Autumn)
Hakodate & Southern Hokkaido Special (Autumn)

All photos taken by Ryusho. The contents are as follows; Noboribetsu hot springs, Night view of Hakodate and landscape of Hakodate city, Lake Onuma, Trappist Dai Monastery, Homemade salmon roe marinated in soy sauce

YouTube video (Fireworks display)
YouTube video (Fireworks display)

This is a video of the fireworks display with music (in Nagasaki). I use the music that was playing on the spot. Enjoy the splendid fireworks with music.

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Japanese Study Course
日語學習課程
Chinese Study Course
Ryukyu Dynasty
❶Two Great Samurais & American sages
❷Two Great Samurais & American sages
Beautiful Landscape
Beautiful landscape of Japan
Hakodate & Southern Hokkaido Special (Autumn)
YouTube video (Fireworks display)
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