11. Particle は (wa) – Topic Marker
Japanese Particle は (wa)
Master the Topic Marker with Comprehensive Examples
Table of Contents
1. Basic Concept of は (wa)
は (wa) is a Japanese particle that marks the topic of a sentence. It tells us what the sentence is about.
Think of は as saying “As for…” or “Speaking of…” in English. It introduces the main subject or topic that the rest of the sentence will discuss.
2. Pronunciation Rule
| Written Form | Pronunciation | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| は | ha | Regular hiragana | はな (hana) flower |
| は | wa | As a particle | わたし は (watashi wa) As for me |
3. Basic Usage Patterns
Pattern 1: [Topic] は [Information about topic]
わたし は がくせい です。
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
As for me, I am a student. / I am a student.
Pattern 2: [Topic] は [Action/State]
ねこ は ねます。
Neko wa nemasu.
As for cats, they sleep. / Cats sleep.
4. Comprehensive Example Sentences
| Japanese (Hiragana) | Romaji | English Translation | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| わたし は たなか です。 | Watashi wa Tanaka desu. | I am Tanaka. | わたし (I) |
| きょう は あつい です。 | Kyou wa atsui desu. | Today is hot. | きょう (today) |
| ほん は おもしろい です。 | Hon wa omoshiroi desu. | The book is interesting. | ほん (book) |
| あした は やすみ です。 | Ashita wa yasumi desu. | Tomorrow is a holiday. | あした (tomorrow) |
| がっこう は とおい です。 | Gakkou wa tooi desu. | The school is far. | がっこう (school) |
| すし は おいしい です。 | Sushi wa oishii desu. | Sushi is delicious. | すし (sushi) |
| にほんご は むずかしい です。 | Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. | Japanese is difficult. | にほんご (Japanese language) |
| てんき は いい です。 | Tenki wa ii desu. | The weather is good. | てんき (weather) |
| えいが は ながい です。 | Eiga wa nagai desu. | The movie is long. | えいが (movie) |
| ねこ は かわいい です。 | Neko wa kawaii desu. | Cats are cute. | ねこ (cat) |
5. は (wa) vs が (ga) – The Key Difference
は (wa) marks the topic – what we’re talking about
が (ga) marks the subject – who/what performs the action
| Particle | Function | Example | Translation | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| は | Topic marker | わたし は がくせい です。 Watashi wa gakusei desu. | I am a student. | General statement about yourself |
| が | Subject marker | だれ が がくせい です か。 Dare ga gakusei desu ka. | Who is a student? | Identifying who specifically |
| は | Topic marker | あめ は ふって います。 Ame wa futte imasu. | It is raining. | Talking about rain in general |
| が | Subject marker | あめ が ふって います。 Ame ga futte imasu. | Rain is falling. | Focusing on the fact that rain specifically is falling |
6. Advanced Usage Patterns
Contrast は (Contrastive wa)
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| これ は すき です が、それ は きらい です。 | Kore wa suki desu ga, sore wa kirai desu. | I like this, but I dislike that. | Contrasting two items |
| きょう は いそがしい です が、あした は ひま です。 | Kyou wa isogashii desu ga, ashita wa hima desu. | Today I’m busy, but tomorrow I’m free. | Contrasting time periods |
| にほんご は むずかしい です が、おもしろい です。 | Nihongo wa muzukashii desu ga, omoshiroi desu. | Japanese is difficult, but interesting. | Contrasting characteristics |
Multiple Topics
わたし は にほん に は いった こと が あります が、ちゅうごく に は ありません。
Watashi wa Nihon ni wa itta koto ga arimasu ga, Chuugoku ni wa arimasen.
As for me, I have been to Japan, but not to China.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| わたし が がくせい です。 | わたし は がくせい です。 | Use は for general self-introduction, not が |
| きょう が あつい です。 | きょう は あつい です。 | Use は when talking about today’s weather generally |
| Pronunciation: “watashi ha“ | Pronunciation: “watashi wa“ | Always pronounce the particle は as “wa” |
| ほん おもしろい です。 | ほん は おもしろい です。 | Don’t forget the particle は |
Congratulations!
You’ve completed the comprehensive guide to the Japanese particle は (wa). Practice regularly and you’ll master this essential grammar point!
は (wa) Particle Quiz
Test Your Knowledge of the Japanese Topic Marker
Exercise 1: Choose the correct particle
How do you say “I am a student”?
Explanation: は (wa) is used to mark the topic when making a general statement about yourself.
Exercise 2: Pronunciation
How is the particle は pronounced?
Explanation: Although written as は (ha), the particle is always pronounced as “wa”.
Exercise 3: Complete the sentence
Complete: “Today is hot.” きょう ___ あつい です。
Explanation: は is used when making a general statement about today’s weather.
Exercise 4: Translation
What does “ほん は おもしろい です” mean?
Explanation: おもしろい means “interesting” or “fun”.
Exercise 5: は vs が
Which sentence shows contrast correctly?
Explanation: は can be used contrastively to compare two different things.
Exercise 6: Advanced Usage
Complete: “As for the weather, it’s good.” てんき ___ いい です。
Explanation: は marks the topic (weather) that we’re discussing.
Exercise 7: Common Mistake
Which pronunciation is WRONG for the particle?
Explanation: The particle は must always be pronounced as “wa”, never as “ha”.
Exercise 8: Context Understanding
When would you use は instead of が?
Explanation: は marks the topic (what we’re discussing), while が marks the subject (who/what performs the action).
How did you do?
Check your answers by selecting options above. Each correct answer will show in green!
