Japanese Grammar – Particles

Japanese particles are small words that indicate relations of words within a sentence.
They follow other words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives are parts of a sentence. Some
but not all can be compared to prepositions in English.

No Particle Meaning / usage

1 は (wa) Indicantes the topic of a sentence
At the end of a sentence indicating a
2 か (ka)
question
3 が (ga) Indicates the subject of a sentence
4 に (ni) Indicates a location
5 の (no) Indicates possession
6 は (wa) Indicates a contrast between 2 items
7 に (ni) Indicates time or frequency
8 へ (e) Indicates direction
9 を (wo/o) Indicates the direct object of a verb
10 と (to) Used to connect and list up multiple items
Used to connect and partially list up
11 や (ya)
multiple items
など Used with や (ya) to partially list up
12
(nado) multiple items
13 も (mo) means “too”, “either”, “also”
14 も (mo) both…and…, neither…nor…
15 に (ni) Indicates the indirect object of a verb
Indicates the surface of a object where
16 に (ni)
some action takes place
17 で (de) Indicates the location of an action
18 と (to) Together with
19 の (no) Indicates an apposition
から
20 Indicates a starting point in time or place
(kara)
より Indicates a starting point in time or place
21
(yori) but more formal than kara (20)
22 まで Indicates a limit on time, space or
 (made) quantity
くらい
23 Indicates an approximate amount
(kurai)
ほど
24 Indicates an approximate amount
(hodo)
ばかり
25 Indicates an approximate amount
(bakari)
26 で (de) Indicates a means or material
27 か (ka) Indicates a choice or alternative
28 を (wo/o) Indicates a point of departure
29 を (wo/o) Indicates a route of a movement/motion
30 に (ni) Indicates a point of arrival
31 に (ni) Indicates an entering motion
Used together with a verb to express a
32 に (ni)
purpose
33 と (to) Used when quoting someone
と いう
34 Indicates the name of something
(to iu)
とか
35 “something like”
(toka)
36 で (de) Indicates a limit or scope
37 と (to) Indicates a comparison
より
38 Indicates a comparison
(yori)
より
39 Indicates superlative
(yori)
くらい
40 Indicates a comparison
(kurai)
ほど Indicates a comparison in a negative
41
(hodo) sentence
42 か (ka) someone, something
“nothing”, nobody”, nowhere” if used
43 も (mo)
with an interrogative word
Used with a verb to indicate a change or
44 に (ni)
choice
 をする
45 Expresses an occupation or position
(wo/o suru)
でも
46 Indicates emphasis
(demo)
でも Together with an interrogative word it
47
(demo) means “anything”, “anyone”, any time”
48 で (de) Indicates a cause or a reason
から Indicates a source such as a giver, a cause
49
(kara) or material
Indicates a person who gives something or
50 に (ni)
who provides a service
は (wa) + Indicates the relation between an object /
51
が (ga) subjects and a verb or adjective
Connects two sentences with the meaning
52 が (ga)
“but…”
Used with an verb expressing emotions, it
53 を (wo/o)
indicates the cause of this emotion
54 で (de) Indicates a state / condition of something
55 で (de) Limits numbers
だけ
56 Indicates a limit on things or amounts
(dake)
だけ
57 Indicates a limit on an action or state
(dake)
Indicates the time of completion or
58 で (de)
expiration of something
でも Following a noun, means “or something like
59
(demo) this”
60 も (mo) Emphasizes in a positive or negative way
でも Indicates two or more items as an example
61
(demo) of a larger list
ばかり Indicates that an item, state or action is
62
(bakari) a single one
ばかり
63 Indicates an action was just completed
(bakari)
ところ Indicates that an action takes place, just
64
(tokoro) took place or is about to take place
 Indicates the subject of subordinate
65 が (ga) clause when it is different from the
subject of the main clause
から
66 conjunction meaning “after” or “since”
(kara)
ながら Indicates that an action is happening
67
(nagara) simultaneously
68 が (ga) Indicates the subject of a relative clause
69 の (no) Indicates the subject of a relative clause
から Used as a conjunction and indicates a cause
70
(kara) or reason