What’s the difference between Japanese は and が?

Many Japanese learners might be wondering what the difference is between は and が.

In this article, I will teach you the difference.

There are three points for it.

Let’s learn how to use は and が together!

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Which do you want to focus on?

Let’s learn the first point.

If you say A is B, which do you want to focus on more between A and B?

Whether you use は or が depends on it.

How to use は

If you say A is B and you want to focus on B, you use は.

For example, Mr. Sato is asked their name, they say I am Sato.

Which is more important I and Sato?

Of course, Sato is more important information.

That’s why they say わたしはさとうです.

How to use が

If you say A is B and you want to focus on A, you use が.

For instance, someone asked who is Mr. Sato.

Mr. Sato would answer I am Sato.

In this case, “I” is more important information.

In this case, they say わたしがさとうです。

Rule of は

Let’s learn the rule of は.

Mainly, there are two rules for は.

Let’s see each rule.

Topic

は mentions topic, what you are talking about.

For instance,

You are talking about today’s weather.

In other words, the topic is about today.

Therefore, you say きょうはあめです.

Let’s see another example.

They are talking about ぞう.

Therefore, we use “は” for ぞう.

Comparing

When we compare two things, we use は.

Let’s see one example.

In this case, I compare mountains and rivers, so I use “は”.

Let’s see another example.

This sentence implies that I don’t know if others ate cake or didn’t eat.

I want to tell you one funny story.

There was a friend who changed her hairstyle.

Another friend said きょうは かわいいね to her.

We laughed because it sounded like they said she was cute only today.

Even among Japanese people, these misunderstandings sometimes happen.

Please be careful when you use は, you would add a nuance.

Rule of が

Let’s learn the rule of が

Mainly, there are two rules for が.

Let’s see each rule.

New information

This rule is similar to “a” and “the”.

If we use a noun for the first time, we use “a”.

After that, we use “the” with the noun.

Let’s see an example.

Sentence1: Long time ago, there was an old man.

Sentence2: The old man went to a mountain.

Please see the first sentence.

We don’t have information about the man, so we use “a” with “man”.

However, in second sentence, we know who we are talking about, so we use “the” with “man”,

Similarly, when we use a noun first time, we use “が”.

After that, we use “は” with the noun.

Sentence1: むかし、おじいさんがいました。

Sentence2: おじいさんは山へ行きました。

In sentence1, we don’t know which old man they are talking about, so we say おじいさんが.

However, in sentence2, we know which old man they are talking about, so we say おじいさんは.

Exclusive

When you say AがB, it means A is the one.

が exclusives others.

Let’s see an example.

It means only I ate cake and others didn’t.

わたしはケーキをたべました。→ I ate cake and I don’t know if others ate.

わたしがケーキをたべました。→ Only I ate cake and others didn’t.

Conclusion

If you say A is B and you want to focus on B, you use は.

If you say A is B and you want to focus on A, you use が.

Rule of は.

-Topic

-Comparing

Rule of が

-New information

-Exclusive

Exercise

①

Q. しゃちょうさんはどのかたですか。

A. わたし（　）しゃちょうです。

②

きのう（　）ラーメンをたべました。

③

キリン（　）くびがながいです。

④

むかし、ここに女の人（1.　）すんでいました。

その女の人（2.　）いしゃでした。

⑤

だれがケーキをたべましたか。

わたし（　）たべました。

Answer

①

Q. しゃちょうさんはどのかたですか。

A. わたし（が）しゃちょうです。

②

きのう（は）ラーメンをたべました。

③

キリン（は）くびがながいです。

④

むかし、ここに女の人（1. が）すんでいました。

その女の人（2. は）いしゃでした。

⑤

だれがケーキをたべましたか。

わたし（が）たべました。

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