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 of the sentence, telling the listener what is being talked about before giving new information about it. It attaches directly after a noun, replacing or following the particle that would normally mark that noun. It is used in both casual and formal speech.
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それはあなたが一人になりたくないからです。
It's because you don't want to be alone.
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パスワードは「Muiriel」です。
The password is "Muiriel".
が ga
particle that indicates the subject of a sentence
The particle が marks the subject of a sentence, showing who or what performs an action or exists. It comes directly after a noun or noun phrase, as in ウサギが or あなたが. It is also used inside clauses, such as before から or in embedded questions.
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「どうかしたの？」と小さな白いウサギが聞きました。
"What's the matter?" asked the little white rabbit.
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それはあなたが一人になりたくないからです。
It's because you don't want to be alone.
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.