JLPT N5ComparisonUpdated 2026-09-25

は vs が wa · ga

は marks what a sentence is about; が marks a grammatical subject and often identifies or introduces it. Use が to answer “who?” or “what?” in a neutral identification, and は to set a topic or contrast. These are common patterns, not a simple known-versus-new rule: context, clause structure, and the predicate also affect the choice.

also written wa / ga / は / が

は — as for; the topic already on the table · が — identifies which one; new information · は scopes wide, が stays in its clause

Sentences

6 sentences, word by word

introduce, then refer back

polite

。。

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公園

こうえん［0］

park

noun · the setting, introduced first

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に

to; at; into

particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state

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犬

いぬ［2］

a dog

noun · brand new to the listener, which is what picks the particle

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が

marks the new arrival

particle · first mention, so が — the listener does not know this dog yet

がN5identifies · new information

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います

there is (animate)

polite いる · used for animals and people, ある for things

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その

that

demonstrative · pointing back at the dog just mentioned

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犬

いぬ［2］

the dog

noun · the same dog, now known to both speakers

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は

as for (now known)

particle · second mention, so it becomes the topic

はN5as for · the topic

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白い

しろい［2］

is white

い-adjective · the comment made about the topic

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です

(polite ending)

copula · politeness on an い-adjective predicate

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There's a dog in the park. The dog is white.

a question word can't be the topic

polite

？。

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誰

だれ［1］

who

interrogative · an unknown, which is why は is impossible here

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が

marks the unknown being asked about

particle · question words take が without exception

がN5with question words

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来ました

きました

came

polite past of 来る · irregular verb

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か

(question)

particle · turning the statement into a question

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田中さん

たなかさん

Tanaka

name ＋さん · the answer to the question word

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が

it was Tanaka, specifically

particle · the answer inherits the が from the question

がN5identifies which one

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来ました

きました

came

polite past of 来る · repeating the verb from the question

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Who came? — Tanaka came.

は does the contrasting

polite

、。

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コーヒー

コーヒー［3］

coffee

noun · loanword, always katakana

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は

coffee, at least

particle · contrastive, and it has displaced the object particle を

はN5contrast

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飲みます

のみます

drink

polite form of 飲む · the positive half of the contrast

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が

but

conjunction · the polite contrast, not the subject particle

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お茶

おちゃ［0］

tea

noun · the お is fixed in this word

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は

tea, on the other hand

particle · the second half of the contrast pair

はN5contrast

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飲みません

のみません

don't drink

polite negative of 飲む · the negative half

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I drink coffee, but I don't drink tea.

both particles, one sentence

polite

。

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私

わたし［0］

pronoun · the topic, not the grammatical subject of 好き

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は

as for me

particle · setting the frame the rest of the sentence sits in

はN5as for · the topic

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寿司

すし［2,1］

sushi

noun · the thing liked, which 好き marks with が

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が

marks what is liked

particle · 好き takes が for its object, like 分かる and できる

がN5with 好き・上手・分かる

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好き

すき［2］

likeable; I like it

な-adjective · grammatically a description, not an action

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です

(polite ending)

copula · politeness on a な-adjective predicate

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I like sushi.

describing a scene takes が

plain

。

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雨

あめ［1］

rain

noun · 雨が降る is the set phrase

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が

marks what is happening

particle · neutral description of a scene, nothing being contrasted

がN5neutral description

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降って

ふって

falling

て-form of 降る · linking into いる for an ongoing state

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いる

is (ongoing)

plain いる · the rain is falling right now

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It's raining.

inside a noun-modifying clause, always が

polite

。

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私

わたし［0］

pronoun · the subject inside the clause that describes the cake

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が

the subject of the inner clause

particle · a noun-modifying clause takes が, never は

がN5in a relative clause

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作った

つくった

made

plain past of 作る · plain form, because it modifies the noun ahead

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ケーキ

ケーキ［1］

cake

noun · the head noun the whole clause describes

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は

as for that cake

particle · the outer topic, once the clause has identified it

はN5as for · the topic

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美味しかった

おいしかった

was delicious

past of 美味しい · standard い-adjective inflection

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です

(polite ending)

copula · politeness added after the past adjective

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The cake I made was delicious.

Structure

Where does each particle attach?

Noun＋は

私は学生です. Replaces が and を when it takes over — 私はコーヒーを is fine, 私はがコーヒー is not a thing.

Noun＋が

犬がいます. Marks the one that exists, appears, or is being singled out.

誰 / 何 / どれ＋が

誰が来ましたか. 誰は is ungrammatical — you cannot make an unknown the topic. The answer takes が too.

Subject ＋が＋ verb＋Noun

私が作ったケーキ. Inside a noun-modifying clause the subject takes が — or の, 私の作ったケーキ, which is equally correct. What it can never take is は.

Meaning

Five tests that decide は or が

1. が often introduces or identifies; は often sets a topic or contrast. Every Japanese folk tale opens おじいさんがいました and continues おじいさんは山へ行きました. The first mention introduces, so it is が. Once the old man is on the table he becomes the topic, and it is は from then on.

2. A question word serving as the unknown subject normally takes が, not は. 誰が来ましたか — 誰は is not a sentence, because you cannot make an unknown into the topic. The answer keeps が: 田中さんが来ました. Compare 田中さんは来ましたか, which asks about Tanaka, who was already under discussion.

3. は contrasts, and the contrast is often the message. コーヒーは飲みます quietly implies there is something else you do not drink. This is why 私はいいです can decline an offer — the contrast does the refusing.

4. は scopes over the whole sentence; が stops at its clause. In 私は日本に行った時、写真を撮った, the 私は governs both halves. Swap in 私が and it works only inside 行った時 — it no longer carries into the second half, which now takes its subject from context.

5. Some predicates commonly mark their target with が. 好き, 上手, 分かる and できる mark their object with が, not を. The たい form takes either — ビールが飲みたい and ビールを飲みたい are both correct. That is where 私は寿司が好きです comes from — two particles, two different jobs, no conflict.

Watch out

Where は and が go wrong

Using は with a question word

誰は来ましたか is not a sentence. An unknown cannot be the topic, so question words take が — and so does the answer.

Putting は inside a relative clause

私は作ったケーキ breaks. Inside a clause that modifies a noun the subject takes が or の — 私が作ったケーキ, 私の作ったケーキ. It is は specifically that is barred.

Stacking は on top of を or が

は replaces them rather than joining them. It is コーヒーは飲みます, never コーヒーをは. With に and で it does stack — ここには is fine.

Also asked

Questions people ask about は and が

What is the simplest reliable test?

Is this information new to the listener? New takes が. Already on the table takes は. That one question settles the majority of real sentences.

Why is it 私は寿司が好きです with two particles?

They are doing different jobs. 私は sets the frame — as for me. 寿司が marks what is liked, because 好き is an adjective and takes が rather than を.

Can a sentence have both は and が?

Constantly, and the sentence above is the standard shape. The topic is は and the thing being identified inside the comment is が.

Why is は written は but read わ?

It is a spelling preserved from historical kana usage. The same happens with を read お and へ read え. Only these three, and only as particles.

What does 私が学生です mean, as opposed to 私は学生です?

私が学生です answers “which of you is the student?” — it is me, exclusively. 私は学生です just tells you what I am. The が version sounds pointed unless something was being asked.

Does dropping the particle change anything?

In casual speech both drop: コーヒー飲む? The distinction is still understood from context, which is why it feels safe to drop — but it is only safe in speech.

References