Grammar : Particle, 「は」and 「が」

Grammar : Particle, 「は」and 「が」

はhas two functions:

(1) Topic marker and Subject marker.

(ex) リサさんはビールをのみます。 (As for Lisa, She drinks beer)

In this sentence, the speaker wants to talk about Lisa, and Lisa is the subject of the

sentence.

(2) Only Topic marker >> in this case, is がused as a subject marker

(ex) げつようびはリサさんがビールをのみます。.(As for Monday, it is Lisa who (will)

drink(s) beer.)

In this sentence, the speaker wants to talk about Monday, that is Monday is the topic of this

sentence, and the subject of the predicate “のみます” is Lisa (not Monday. So the topic and

the subject are different.)

が has one function: Subject marker

(ex) リサさんがビールをのみます. (Lisa drinks beer / Lisa is the one who drinks beer).

Guidelines:

You will learn more about when you should use が or は later. But there are some guidelines.

(1) X は Y/ X が Y

While は highlights information which comes after は, が highlights information

which comes before が.

(ex 1) (You are now introducing yourself.) わたしはうちだです。.

In this sentence, the most important thing is the name so the name, Uchida should be

highlighted. So は is used.

(ex 2) (A knows there is a person whose name is Uchida. But A doesn’t know who Uchida is)

A: すみません、うちださんですか。

B: いいえ。

C: わたしがうちだです。

In this sentence, A already knows the name “Uchida” but she doesn’t know who Uchida is.

　　So the most important information is “わたし” in this sentence. So がis used.

(2) Use がafter a question word (who, where, etc) and in the answer to a question using such a

question word.　　Usually が is also used in the answer.

(ex) Ａ：なにがすきですか。

　　Ｂ：すしがすきです。

　

　　Ａ：だれがほんをよみますか。

　　Ｂ：リサさんがよみます。

　　Ａ：どれがびょういんですか。

　　Ｂ：あれがびょういんです。

(3) Use は before a question word (who, where , etc) and in the answer, は is also used.

(ex) Ａ：それはなんですか。

　　Ｂ：これはにほんのざっしです。

　　Ａ：このえんぴつはだれのですか。

　　Ｂ：そのえんぴつはやまださんのです。

(4) Use は in a negative statement.

(ex) わたしはがくせいじゃありません。

これはカメラじゃありません。

(5) Use はwhen you want to contrast two things.

(ex) わたしはにほんじんです。マイクさんはアメリカじんです。

　　わたしはとしょかんきます。リサさんはだいがくへきます。

(6) Use は when you want to distinguish a certain person or a thing from someone or something

else and to emphasize it.

(ex) へはきません。

(It emphasizes that the speaker will not go to a school, but s/he will go to other places. S/he

wants to emphasize this face).

Ａ：さんにいましたか。(Did you meet Tanaka san?)

　Ｂ：いいえ、 さんにはいませんでした。

(The speaker wanted to emphasize that s/he did not meet Tanaka san. And s/he implies that

s/he met someone else).