JLPT N5 grammar
Particles (助詞) — Meaning & Examples
Small words that follow nouns to show their role in the sentence. Japanese uses particles instead of word order to show relationships. Essential to master for any level of Japanese.
What Are Particles?
Particles are small words that follow nouns and tell you what role that noun plays in the sentence. They are one of the most important and unique features of Japanese grammar.
English shows relationships through word order — "the cat ate the fish" vs "the fish ate the cat."
Japanese shows relationships through particles — the word order can change but the particles tell you who did what.
The most important particles:
は (wa) — topic marker
が (ga) — subject marker
を (wo) — object marker
に (ni) — direction / time / location
で (de) — location of action / means / reason
へ (e) — direction (like に but emphasises direction)
と (to) — and / with
も (mo) — also / too
から (kara) — from / because
まで (made) — until / as far as
This lesson covers は and が — the two that confuse learners the most.
Practice questions
Try this question on Particles (助詞). Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which particle marks the topic of a sentence?
- が (ga)
- を (o)
- は (wa)
- に (ni)
Show answer
Answer: は (wa)
は (wa) is the topic marker. It marks what the sentence is "about" — often translated as "as for ~." Note: は is written as the hiragana for "ha" but pronounced "wa" when used as a particle. This is one of the special pronunciation rules of Japanese particles.
Practise Particles (助詞) in the free app
This point is part of the “Particles は and が — Topic and Subject” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N5 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
Free on iPhone and Android · No ads
Related N5 grammar points
From the same lesson: Particles は and が — Topic and Subject
Frequently asked questions
What does Particles (助詞) mean?
Small words that follow nouns to show their role in the sentence. Japanese uses particles instead of word order to show relationships. Essential to master for any level of Japanese.
Is Particles (助詞) on the JLPT N5 test?
Particles (助詞) is taught in the JLPT N5 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Particles は and が — Topic and Subject”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise Particles (助詞)?
Open the “Particles は and が — Topic and Subject” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N5 mock exams, with no ads.