A Brief Introduction to Particles は and を

I'm not an expert in teaching particles, nor have I truly mastered particles. When I learned it, it was without any rules; just feeling. I'm sure there may be a better way to explaining particles somewhere, but like all of my posts will be, it's what I think and how I would teach it to a person. Do not take my words for truth (I'm still learning like you are), I may make mistakes as well. If I do, the comments are free to anyone with our without an account so please leave a comment if it's wrong.

What are particles? Particles give the word before it meaning in the sentence. It has to ability to tell the receiver what is being acted on what, or where something is going. Because Japanese can put these particles on words, there are many ways of saying the same sentence. The longer the sentence, the more combinations you can make. Why do some Japanese people speak without particles? I've always learned that Japanese people like shortcuts. They like to remove the subject from the sentence or make words shorter than they already are. Because of the context the sentence is in, the speaker assumes the listener knows which particle is being used.

Well then, let's get started.

は　pronounced wa when spoken as a particle, ha otherwise.

は is the 'topic marker' as everyone would say but I really hate using those words. But what does that really mean? What is the 'topic' of a sentence anyway? In English, the word order for a sentence is Subject-Verb-Object or SVO as some would refer to. When you make a sentence in English, the 'topic' is generally the first thing you would say in the sentence.

I am cold. 私は寒いです。
This is cool。これはかっこいです。
Curry is hot.　カレーは辛いです。

In the previous sentence, I, This, and Curry are the topics of the sentence.


を　pronounced as o when spoken as as particle, wo otherwise.

を is the object marker. This is a little easier to understand because in English, we have verbs that must have an object directly, or eventually, after the verb. Whenever you're talking about an object in relation to a verb, use the object marker を. Japanese word order is SOV so you don't really know what will happen to the object before the verb appears.

（I） received a letter. 手紙をもらった。
（I） bought a pen.　ぺんを買った。
（I) drank water. 水を飲んだ。

In the previous sentences, the letter, pen and water are the objects. You generally don't make sentences like I received, I bought, or I drank. You have to say what the object is with the verb.


The topic and the object play an important role in the sentence. You want to know who does what to whom. Because particles tell the receiver what the purpose of the word is, sentences can be jumbled up and still make sense. Sentences do not always start with the topic in Japanese. Be careful with your particles (if you choose to use them).

私はケーキを食べた。　I ate the cake.
私をケーキは食べた。The cake ate me.


There are always exceptions to grammar. Some words require a specific particle all the time 天気. Some verbs use a specific particle in the positive and another one in the negative　欲しい、好き.　There is no way to explain exceptions. They are made by the culture in practical use and as a learner of a new language, you must accept exceptions as they are.