Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
が marks the subject performing an action or the thing being described, while を marks the direct object receiving the action. The key test is whether the noun is doing the verb or having the verb done to it: ステーキが美味しい describes steak, but 車を買った shows a car being bought. Swapping them is wrong because 飲み物を飲む needs を for the thing consumed, not が.
- が Use が when the noun is the one doing the action or the thing you are identifying.
- を Use を when the noun is the direct object that the verb acts upon.
が ga
Subject Marker
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A:このレストランは何が 美味しいですか。B:ステーキが美味しいです。
A: What is good in this restaurant?B: Steak is good.
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あ、のり子が走っている。
Oh, Noriko is running.
を wo
Object Marker
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何を飲みますか。
What will you drink?
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前田さんは昨日車を買った。
Mr. Maeda bought a car yesterday.
が and を are both JLPT N5 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.