How to tell them apart
は marks what the sentence is about or contrasts, while が marks the grammatical subject or introduces new information. Use は for known topics (ジョーンズさんは勉強している) and が for new or spotlighted subjects (あ、のり子が走っている). Swapping them can sound odd: このレストランは何が美味しいですか uses は for the topic and が for the answer focus.
- は Use は to mark a known topic or contrastive element in the sentence.
- が Use が to mark the subject or to highlight new, specific information.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| は ha | particle that marks what the sentence is about | N5 |
| が ga | particle that indicates the subject of a sentence | N5 |
は ha
particle that marks what the sentence is about
は marks the topic, the thing the rest of the sentence describes or asks about. It is often translated as as for or regarding, and it sets up a contrast with other possible topics. It follows nouns, time expressions, and nominalized clauses such as こと or の, and it is written は but pronounced wa. Do not confuse it with が, which marks the subject of a specific action or state rather than the overall topic.
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パーティーはいつやるの？
When will the party take place?
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この山の高さはどのくらいですか。
What is the height of this mountain?
が ga
particle that indicates the subject of a sentence
が marks the subject of a sentence, identifying who or what performs an action or has a described quality. It follows a noun or noun phrase directly, as in リンゴが or 足が, with no change to the noun itself. Learners often confuse it with は, but が tends to present new information or focus on the subject itself rather than the topic.
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木にリンゴが少しなっているでしょ？
There are a few apples on the tree, aren't there?
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あの人、すごい足が長いわよ。
That person has very long legs.
は and が are both JLPT N5 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.