Japanese particle cheat sheet
The particles learners use most, with their main jobs. Tap a rule name in a check result to jump to its explanation below.
| Particle | Main uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| はwa | Topic: what the sentence is about; also contrast. | 私は学生です。I am a student. |
| がga | Subject, especially new information; the object of 好き, 分かる, できる. | 雨が降っています。It's raining. |
| をo | Direct object; the path you move through or the place you leave. | 公園を散歩します。I take a walk in the park. |
| にni | Destination, specific time, place where something is, recipient. | 三時に駅に着きます。I arrive at the station at three. |
| でde | Place where an action happens; means, tool or language. | 図書館で日本語で話します。I talk in Japanese at the library. |
| へe | Direction or destination (like に for going). | 来週、京都へ行きます。I'm going to Kyoto next week. |
| とto | With (someone); and (complete list); quotation. | 友達と映画を見ました。I watched a film with a friend. |
| からkara | From (a place or time); the giver in もらう. | 九時から働きます。I work from nine. |
| までmade | Until, as far as. | 駅まで歩きます。I walk as far as the station. |
| のno | Links nouns: possession, description. | 日本の文化Japanese culture |
| もmo | Also, too; replaces は, が or を. | 私も行きます。I'm going too. |
| やya | And (examples from a longer list). | りんごやみかんを買いました。I bought apples, oranges and so on. |
| よりyori | Than (comparison). | 弟は私より背が高いです。My younger brother is taller than me. |
は vs が
は marks the topic: what you're talking about. が marks the subject, often as new information.
私は田中です。 / 誰が田中さんですか。— 私が田中です。
I'm Tanaka. / Who is Tanaka? — I am (the one who's) Tanaka.A question word as the subject always takes が, and so does the answer to it.
誰が来ましたか。— 田中さんが来ました。
Who came? — Tanaka did.Inside a clause that describes a noun, the subject takes が (or の), not は.
これは私が書いた手紙です。
This is the letter I wrote.は can add contrast: “as for this one (but not others)”.
ケーキは好きです。
Cake, I do like (other sweets, maybe not).Often both are grammatical and the difference is emphasis. That's why the checker says “both possible” and explains, instead of calling one wrong.
雨が降っています。 / 雨は降っています。
It's raining. / It is raining (as for rain, at least).
に vs で
に: the place where someone or something is or lives (いる, ある, 住む).
公園に子供がいます。
There are children in the park.で: the place where an action happens.
公園で子供が遊んでいます。
Children are playing in the park.に: a destination or goal. で: a means, tool or language.
バスで学校に行きます。
I go to school by bus.に: a specific time (三時に, 月曜日に). Relative times like 今日, 明日 and 毎日 take no particle.
明日、三時に会いましょう。
Let's meet tomorrow at three.
Common particle mistakes
に instead of で for an action's place
図書館に勉強します。
図書館で勉強します。
勉強する is an action, so the place takes で. に is for where something is or where you go.
を with 好き, 分かる or できる
日本語を分かります。
日本語が分かります。
These words describe a state, so their “object” takes が.
を with 会う or 乗る
先生を会いました。
先生に会いました。
会う and 乗る mark the person or vehicle with に.
は after a question word
誰は来ましたか。
誰が来ましたか。
Question words can't be a topic, so as subjects they take が.
に after 毎日, 明日 or 来週
来週に日本へ行きます。
来週、日本へ行きます。
Relative time words take no particle. Only specific times take に.
Particle rules the checker uses
Every issue the checker reports is tagged with one of these rules.
は (topic) vs が (subject)
は presents the topic or a contrast; が marks the subject, often as new information. Both are often grammatical, with a different emphasis.
Right: 私は学生です。 / 私が学生です。(I'm the one who is)
Question word as subject takes が
When 誰, 何, どれ or どこ is the subject, use が. The answer also uses が.
Wrong: 誰は来ましたか。
Right: 誰が来ましたか。
Subject inside a describing clause takes が
In a clause that describes a noun, the subject is marked with が (or の), never は.
Wrong: 私は書いた手紙
Right: 私が書いた手紙
が with 好き, 上手, 分かる, できる, 欲しい
These words describe a state, not an action. What you like, are good at, understand, can do or want is marked with が.
Wrong: ケーキを好きです。
Right: ケーキが好きです。
に for where something is or lives
With いる, ある and 住む, the place takes に.
Wrong: 東京で住んでいます。
Right: 東京に住んでいます。
で for where an action happens
When something is done at a place, the place takes で.
Wrong: 図書館に勉強します。
Right: 図書館で勉強します。
に / へ for destinations
Where you go, come or return takes に or へ.
Wrong: 日本で行きます。
Right: 日本に行きます。 / 日本へ行きます。
に with specific times only
Specific times and dates take に (三時に, 五月に). Relative time words (今日, 明日, 毎日, 来週) take no particle.
Wrong: 来週に行きます。
Right: 来週行きます。 / 月曜日に行きます。
を for the direct object
The thing an action is done to takes を.
Wrong: 音楽に聞きます。
Right: 音楽を聞きます。
を for the path you move through
With movement verbs like 散歩する, 歩く, 渡る and 通る, the route or area takes を.
Wrong: 道に散歩します。
Right: 道を散歩します。
を for the place you leave
With 出る (leave) and 卒業する, the place you leave takes を.
Wrong: 大学に卒業しました。
Right: 大学を卒業しました。
Verbs that take に
会う, 乗る, 似る, 慣れる, 参加する, 入る and 着く mark the person, vehicle, event or place with に (会う and 似る also allow と).
Wrong: バスを乗ります。
Right: バスに乗ります。
に for the recipient
The person who receives something (あげる, 送る, 教える…) takes に.
Wrong: 友達を本をあげました。
Right: 友達に本をあげました。
に for the purpose of going
With 行く, 来る and 帰る, the purpose (a verb stem or a noun like 買い物) takes に.
Wrong: 買い物を行きます。
Right: 買い物に行きます。
と for “with” someone
The person you do something with takes と.
Wrong: 友達一緒に行きます。
Right: 友達と一緒に行きます。
で for means, tools and languages
How you do something (bus, pen, Japanese) takes で.
Wrong: 日本語に話してください。
Right: 日本語で話してください。
から (from) and まで (until)
Starting points take から; end points take まで.
Wrong: 会議は三時始まります。
Right: 会議は三時から始まります。 / 三時に始まります。
の between nouns
When one noun describes another, の links them.
Wrong: 日本文化の本 (fine) / 私本
Right: 私の本
も for “also”
も replaces は, が or を; it is not added after them.
Wrong: 私はも行きます。
Right: 私も行きます。
Missing particle
A particle the sentence needs was left out. Casual speech often drops は, が and を, but polite and written Japanese keeps them, and particles like に, で and と are not dropped.
Wrong: 東京行きます。
Right: 東京に行きます。
Particle not needed
A particle was added where Japanese uses none, most often に after 今日, 明日, 毎日 or 来週.
Wrong: 毎日に運動します。
Right: 毎日運動します。
How the checker works
- Quick check (free, unlimited): a Japanese tokenizer finds every particle in your text and checks fixed patterns where the next word decides the particle, such as 好き needing が and 会う needing に. It flags only what is wrong in standard Japanese whenever it matches.
- Deep check (daily free uses): an AI model reviews every particle in context, including は vs が, に vs で and missing particles, and tags each issue with one of the rules on this page.
- Every full-check reply is verified before you see it: the marked text must match your input exactly, every suggestion must be a real particle, and は/が is only called a mistake under the two clear-cut rules (question words, describing clauses). Otherwise it is shown as “both possible”.
- Before each release, both checks are tested against sentences with known mistakes, correct sentences that must not be flagged, and は/が cases that must never be called wrong.
Particles can depend on context the checker can't see, and some choices are matters of style. The checker only reviews particles; for verb forms, vocabulary and the rest of your text, use the Japanese Grammar Checker.
Frequently asked questions
What are Japanese particles?
Particles (助詞, joshi) are short words placed after a word to show its role in the sentence: は marks the topic, を the object, に a destination or time, で the place of an action, and so on.
What's the difference between は and が?
は marks the topic, what the sentence is about, and can add contrast. が marks the subject, often as new information. Question words as subjects always take が, and so do subjects inside describing clauses (私が書いた本). Otherwise both are often grammatical with different emphasis, so the checker explains the difference rather than calling one wrong.
When do I use に and when で?
Use に for where something is or lives (いる, ある, 住む), for destinations and for specific times. Use で for the place where an action happens and for means, tools and languages: 図書館で勉強する, バスで行く.
Is the particle checker free?
Yes. The quick check is free and unlimited. The deep check gives 3 free uses a day without an account and 5 when signed in; VIP members of Japanese Grammar Checker get unlimited deep checks.
What's the difference between the quick check and the deep check?
The quick check is instant and uses fixed rules, so it catches common patterns but not everything. The deep check uses AI to review every particle in context, including は vs が, に vs で and missing particles.
Does it check casual Japanese?
Yes. Casual speech often drops は, が and を, and the checker doesn't flag those. It does flag particles that are needed even in casual speech, such as に for a destination.
Can it check grammar other than particles?
It only corrects particles, but the deep check lists other problems it notices so you know to check them. For a full proofread, use the Japanese Grammar Checker.
Sources
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