If you know any Japanese or listen to the language closely, you would have come across a little thing called particles (助詞). If you are using anime or dramas etc. to boost your Japanese, you might have a vague understanding of particles (without really knowing what they are called). You probably have come across something similar to the following:

• 「俺がやる」ore ga yaru – I will do it! (Line from Naruto)
• 「私はアメリカ人です」watashi wa amerikajin desu – I am an American.

The bolded “が” (ga)” and “は” (wa) in these examples are particles and they were used to indicate the subject, 俺, and 私 (“I”).  But what actually are particles?

What Are Japanese Particles (助詞)? 

In short, particles indicate the role of nouns and verbs in a sentence.

In linguistic terms (for the language nerds!) Japanese is an agglutinative language, meaning that words are composed of morphemes or word parts/elements. Other agglutinating languages include Korean, Mongolian, Turkish, and Finnish. 

Conversely, English belongs to the “inflecting language” family, where nouns and verbs change to express things like tense. This is why the language’s structure is quite different.

So, particles are a type of morpheme that attach to nouns to convey information about its function in the sentence. Particles by themselves do not carry any meaning, but do when attached to nouns.

Still not making sense, right? Not to worry, since particles don’t exist in English, they are very difficult concepts to grasp. So let’s take a look at some examples: 

1. 私がハンバーガーを食べる (わたしがはんばーがーをたべる) 

Watashi ga hanbāgā o taberu – I eat a hamburger.

The particles are:

が (ga, subject marker): designates 私(watashi) as the subject

を (wo, object particle): indicates ハンバーガー as the object of the sentence or the thing being eaten by the subject. 

2. 私は公園で走る (わたしはこうえんではしる) 

Watashi wa kōen de hashiru – I run in the park. 

The grammatical particles are:

は (wa): designates 私(watashi, “I”) as the subject.

で (de): designates 公園 (kōen, “park”) as the place where the subject is running. You can think of it as saying “at”.

So far, we have just introduced four particles, but even at a beginner level, you will be exposed to about 11 common particles, including the following:

 “が” (ga), “は” (wa), “を” (wo), “に” (ni), “で” (de), “へ” (e), “も” (mo), “と” (to), “から” (kara), “まで” (made), “より” (yori). 

This may seem like a lot to take in at once, so feel free to save or refer to this cheat sheet which provides simple short-hands to help you understand and remember each of the particles’ functions.

Japanese Particles List: 11 Must-Know Grammar Rules

We will now explore each of these particles in a bit more detail so we can explain how they work and how they can be very useful.

1.  が (Pronunciation: ga)

1. 私の家族が東京に来ました (わたしのかぞくがとうきょうにきました)

Watashi no kazoku ga Tokyo ni kimashita – My family came to Tokyo.

The particle is “が” and it indicates “私の家族” (my family) as the subject of the sentence. However, there are 2 other main functions of “が” beyond being a subject marker. 

2. In this sentence, the function of “が” is for exclusivity:

私が日本人です (わたしがにほんじんです)

Watashi ga nihonjin desu – I am Japanese.

In this case, the sentence does not just state that the subject, “I,” is Japanese; it also gives the sentence the context that “I am the one who is Japanese, not someone else.”

It implies excluding the possibility of others being Japanese.

3. The last function is as the subject in a question.

誰がアイスを食べたんですか (だれがあいすをたべたんですか)

Dare ga aisu o tabetandesuka – Who ate the ice cream?

In this example, the particle “が” follows the question word (誰, who).

2. は (Pronunciation: wa)

1. 私は日本人です (わたしはにほんじんです)。

Watashi wa nihonjin desu – I am Japanese.

The particle is the essential “は” in Japanese grammar! Although written as “は” in hiragana, its pronunciation is “wa.” The function of “は” can be broadly divided into three main uses. The first is to introduce the topic (Topic marker).

For example, in the sentence “私は日本人です” (Watashi wa nihonjin desu), “私” (I) before “は” is treated as the topic of the sentence.

While the English translation is “I am Japanese,” a more literal translation, reflecting the grammatical meaning, would be “As for me, I’m Japanese.” It might be a little difficult to understand, so let’s look at another example.

2. ウサギは耳が長いです。(うさぎはみみがながいです)

Usagi wa mimi ga nagai desu – As for the rabbit, its ears are long.

In Japanese, both “は” and “が” can appear in the same sentence. If both “は” and “が” are used to indicate the subject, it would seem like there are two subjects in this sentence, which would make the meaning unclear.

In this case, “は” marks the topic (“ウサギ” or rabbit), and “が” marks the subject (“耳” or ears, specifically the ears of the rabbit). Since the topic and the subject sometimes refer to the same thing, “は” and “が” might seem to serve similar functions, but there is an important difference.

3. ピザは好きですが、パスタは好きじゃありません。(ぴざはすきですが、ぱすたはすきじゃありません)

Piza wa sukidesuga, pasuta wa sukija arimasen – I like pizza, but I don’t like pasta.

“は” also has a function of contrast. In the case above, “は” contrasts “ピザ” (pizza) with “パスタ” (pasta). The contrast between the two items is clear, but even when only one item is mentioned, for example:

コーラは好きじゃありません。(こーらはすきじゃありません)

Ko-ra wa sukija arimasen – I don’t like coke (but I like other sodas).

Even if you are only referring to one item, it can imply that “other things” (such as other soda) are liked. So, “は” can change the context of the sentence when used instead of “が” in the sentence above.

3.を (Pronunciation: o)

本を読みます。(ほんをよみます)

Hon o yomimasu – I read a book.

The third particle is “を.” (Note that the pronunciation of this hiragana “を” is “o,” not “wo!”)

“を” marks the direct object of the verb. To be more specific, it indicates the thing (book) is directly affected by the verb (read).

4. に (Pronunciation: ni)

1. キッチンに猫がいます。(きっちんにねこがいます)

Kicchin ni neko ga imasu – There is a cat in the kitchen.

“に” has many functions, and it’s one of the particles that many learners are often confused about.

So, to put it simply, there are 3 common uses: the first use is to indicate the location of something, as shown in the sentence above. The particle lets us understand the cat is located in the kitchen.

2. 毎朝7時に起きます。(まいあさ7じにおきます)

Maiasa shichiji ni okimasu – I get up at 7 o’clock.

The second use is for indicating time. Using “に” after a specific time (such as hours or dates) to express when something happens.

3. 私は母に花をあげました。

Watashi wa haha ni hana o agemashita. (I gave flowers to my mother.)

The third use is for indirect objects. In the sentence above, the direct object of the verb “あげます” (give) is “花” (flowers), and the indirect object is “母” (mother).

You need to use the particle “に” to make it clear your mother is who you gave the flowers to. 

5. で (Pronunciation: de)

1. オフィスで会議をします。(おふぃすでかいぎをします）

Ofisu de kaigi o shimasu – We have a meeting in the office.

One of the main functions of “で” is to indicate the location of an action. As demonstrated above, “で” marks the place where the action (the meeting) is taking place. You can think of “で” as saying “at” or, in certain cases, “in.” 

It’s not a perfect translation, but for now I think this will be a useful shorthand in remembering how to use this particle. 

2. フォークで食べます。(ふぉーくでたべます)

Fo-ku de tabemasu – I eat with a fork.

Another use of “で” is to express the means or methods of how you did something. Here, “で” indicated that eating was done with a fork.

6. へ (Pronunciation: e)

1. 台風は東へ向かっています。(たいふうはひがしへむかっています）

Taihu wa higashi e mukatteimasu – The typhoon is heading toward the east.

It’s written as “へ” in hiragana, but its pronunciation is “e”. The function of “へ” is to indicate the destination or direction of movement. At first glance, it may seem similar to “に,” but “へ” expresses a meaning that is more along the lines of “toward” or “in the direction of.”

For example,

日本に行きます。(にほんにいきます)

Nihon ni ikimasu – I’m going to Japan.

日本へ行きます。(にほんへいきます)

Nihon e ikimasu – I’m going toward Japan.

In the first sentence, “日本に行きます,” the destination, Japan, is clear. However, in the second sentence, “日本へ行きます,” implies “I’m going in the direction of Japan,” which carries a more nuanced meaning. It could mean that I might pass through other countries on the way or that I’m heading toward Japan but might end up somewhere else.

That said, in most cases, people are heading directly to their destination and will actually reach it, so the meaning is usually almost the same whether you use “に” or “へ.”

7. も (Pronunciation: mo)

1. 私もです。(わたしもです)

Watashi mo desu – Me too.

“も” indicates addition or, simply put, means “also” or “too”. For example, in the sentence above, you are adding “私” (I) in response to someone else’s opinion.

2. ショッピングモールで、何も買いませんでした。(しょっぴんぐもーるで、なにもかいませんでした)

Shoppingu senta de nani mo kaimasendeshita – I didn’t buy anything in the shopping mall.

Adding も after “何” (nani) will actually somewhat change the meaning of 何, which you probably learnt means “what”. In the above sentence, it means “anything” and can only be used with a negative verb (e.g. not buy, not sleep, etc.). 

For example, you could say something like “何もありません(nani mo arimasen)” meaning “I don’t have anything”. But in English, you can not say “I have anything” since it doesn’t make sense. It is the same in Japanese, saying “何もあります(nani mo arimasu)” is grammatically incorrect.

8. と (Pronunciation: to)

1. ノートとペンを買いました。(のーととぺんをかいました)

Nooto to pen o kaimashita – I bought a notebook and a pen.

There are 2 common functions of “と,” and in the sentence above, its function is to list all relevant items, similar to “and” in English. The key point with “と” is that it refers to all the items, so in this case, it means that the only things bought were a notebook and a pen.

2. 今日大学の友達と電話しました。(きょうだいがくのともだちとでんわしました)

Kyo daigaku no tomodachi to denwa shimashita – Today, I called my university friend.

The above sentence demonstrates the second function, which is to indicate doing something together. You can think of it as saying “with.” Here, “と” shows that the action (making a call) was done with a friend.

9. から (Pronunciation: kara)

1. 家から会社に行きます。(いえからかいしゃにいきます)

Ie kara kaisha ni ikimasu – I go to the office from (my) house.

Basically, “から” means “from”. In the sentence above, it allows the listener to understand the place from where the subject departed. While “に” is used to communicate where the subject is going. But “から” can be used for more than just physical places.

2. 私はいつも午前9時から午後5時まで働きます。(わたしはいつもごぜん9じからごご5じまではたらきます)

Watashi wa itsumo gozen 9 ji kara gogo 5 ji made hatarakimasu – I always work from 9 am to 5 pm

In this example, “から” is used to discuss from which time you work and it’s often used along with the particle “まで” to indicate a range of time you are working. 

10. まで (Pronunciation: made)

飯田橋駅からCoto Japanese Academyまで、歩いてどのくらいかかりますか。(いいだばしえきからCoto Japanese Academyまで、あるいてどのくらいかかりますか)

Iidabashi eki kara Coto Japanese Academy made, aruite donokurai kakarimasuka – How long does it take to walk from Iidabashi Station to Coto Japanese Academy?

“まで” essentially means “until,” so in the example above, you are using から and まで to say “from Iidabashi station until Coto Academy”. You can think of “まで” as indicating a final limit. For example, you could say “30分まで(30 pun made)” to say “until (or up to) 30 mins”. Although often used with “から”, it can be used on its own as well.  

11. より (Pronunciation: yori)

妹は私より背が高いです。(いもうとはわたしよりせがたかいです)

Imoto wa watashi yori se ga takaidesu – My little sister is taller than me.

Lastly, “より,” which means “then.” You use it for making comparisons.

The thing before “より” serves as the reference point, and it expresses how the subject (or topic) compares to it. In the example above, “私” (me) is the reference, and it shows how tall “私の妹” (my little sister) is in comparison.

Essential 11 Japanese Particles Table

Below is a table summarizing the 11 essential Japanese particles discussed above. Feel free to refer to this in conjunction with the Cheat Sheet to help you remember and use these 11 particles.

Feel ready to explore particles deeper, check out our blog: Japanese Particles Cheat Sheet: Learn the Essential Particles for JLPT N5 and N4 which provides a cheat sheet with more particles.

Common Mistakes When Using Japanese Particles

With so many particles and some that have similar uses, I’m sure you found it a bit confusing. Here are some common pitfalls people fall into when making Japanese sentences with particles.

“が(Ga)” vs “は(Ha)”

誰はパーティーに行きましたか？(だれはぱーてぃーにいきました) ❌

Dare wa pa-ti- ni ikimashita ka? – Who went to the party?

The correct usage of “が” and “は” in relation to the subject can be pretty confusing, even for advanced learners. As mentioned earlier, the particle used with question words should be “が.” So the correct sentence would be, “誰がパーティーに行きましたか?” (だれがぱーてぃーにいきました – Who went to the party?)

“Ni” vs. “De”

公園に遊びました。(こうえんにあそびました) ❌

Koen ni asobimashita – I played in the park.

This is another very common mistake. Since both “に” and “で” are used to indicate a place, many people get confused about when to use each one.

When expressing a place, “に” refers to the location of something or someone, while “で” indicates the place where an action or event happens. In the example sentence, since “遊ぶ” (to play) is an action, the correct expression should be “公園で遊びました” (I played in the park).

Time + “に”

毎日に散歩します。(まいにちにさんぽします) ❌

Mainichi ni sanpo shimasu – I go for a walk every day.

As mentioned, “に” can indicate time. However, when it come to frequency and not a specific time, you don’t need to use “に.” In the sentence above, “毎日” (every day) doesn’t require “に.” So, the correct sentence would be: “毎日散歩します.” (I walk every day.)

In English, expressions like “9 o’clock” or “March 5th” use prepositions like “on” or “in,” but we don’t use any prepositions with expressions like “every day,” right? It is exactly the same in Japanese; there are time expressions that don’t need a particle.

Key Features of Japanese Particles 

In languages like English, you can form sentences without particles, so you might wonder: Do we really need particles in Japanese? 

Particles make it possible for the Japanese to rearrange the order of nouns and verbs to some extent while still making sense!

In Japanese grammar, the typical word order is: subject → time/frequency → place → object → verb. However, in many cases, changing the word order still conveys the same meaning.

For example:

私がハンバーガーを食べる (Watashi ga hanbāgā o taberu) 

can change to 

→ ハンバーガーを私が食べる (Hanbāgā o watashi ga taberu) 

→ 私が食べるハンバーガーを (Watashi ga taberu hanbāgā o) 

While these rearrangements might sound unnatural, the meaning “I eat a hamburger” remains clear.

Conclusion About Understanding Japanese Particles 

Starting your journey into the world of Japanese can be overwhelming, and particles are no exception. However, as you keep using and studying Japanese, you will get the hang of them. So, exposing yourself to as many Japanese sentences as possible will help you to get accustomed to how they are used in different situations and contexts. Watching anime is a great way to gain exposure in Japanese especially for particles, check out our article recommending Detective Conan.

Just like most grammar in your mother tongue, native Japanese speakers don’t consciously think about particles and just naturally use them to express what they want to. Believe it or not, you will reach this level too as you keep practicing and develop a sense of what feels right for what you want to say.

In Japan, we have the saying “習うより慣れろ” (“ならうよりなれろ” – “It’s better to learn by doing”), so immersing yourself in listening and reading Japanese to develop your own understanding might prove to be one of the most effective methods of learning this rather confusing concept.

The best way to expose yourself to as much Japanese as possible is through our Coto Academy Japanese lessons. The classes immerse you in the Japanese language and will have you practice making sentences with our native teachers. Take a look through our Coto Academy Courses to find lessons that are right for you! 

FAQ

Learning Japanese can be a fun and engaging experience, not just a series of textbooks and quizzes. We know your interest in learning Japanese has sparked from watching Japanese anime or playing games made by Nintendo, Sega, or Capcom. In our previous blogs, we’ve also shared some exciting ways to start learning the language, such as learning Japanese with video games and kanji games. Now, we are ready to introduce another new game, tested by our staff and teachers, that’s perfect for beginners who want to learn Japanese in a fun way: Wagotabi. In this blog, we will explore how the Wagotabi game works, its benefits, and why it is an excellent tool for anyone learning Japanese.

About Wagotabi

Why Wagotabi? A few weeks ago, the Wagotabi development team reached out and invite us to try their newly launched game. We never heard about the game before, but as soon as we did, we were intrigued and excited to give it a go. Here’s our take on it!

Wagotabi is more than just another Japanese learning game. It’s an immersive and interactive language-learning RPG game designed to help players practice and learn Japanese by teaching vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and kanji recognition exercises throughout the game. Released recently, this game was created to make studying Japanese fun for passionate language learners by providing experiences that take them on a journey through Japan’s geography, history, and local culture. We love how detailed the developers were when designing the game. While we were exploring the city, we saw the architecture in the game, which is almost the same design as the real-life one, and we were mindblown. We all think this game is entirely accessible to beginner learners because the level of the game starts from zero, following the JLPT N5 content introduction, and begins with easy vocabulary and grammar. It teaches most practical Japanese words and grammatical concepts. One thing to mention also is that this game is localized in 7 languages.

Wagotabi is made by a small indie team of four people passionate about learning Japanese and want to make this process fun and enjoyable. Read below to learn more about them:

The origin of the name Wagotabi is also very interesting. The word “Wagotabi” is derived from “Wago” (和語), meaning Japanese language or words, and “tabi” (旅), meaning journey. Hence, the game’s title suggests the players take on a “journey through the Japanese language,” progressing through different challenges as they improve their Japanese skills.

Wagotabi draws inspiration from the beloved game Pokemon but with a unique twist. Instead of catching Pokemon, the players collect Japanese words, grammar expressions, and characters! As they progress through the towns, the players will earn Hanko stamps from Japanese Masters in their traditional castles by battling with them with Japanese knowledge. We believe those challenges will help sharpen your Japanese skills. Wagotabi’s interactive elements, such as ordering food, asking for directions, and expressing interests, provide a practical and enjoyable way to learn Japanese.

Features On Wagotabi

• Role Play: Players can customize their characters, talk to the NPCs, and learn Japanese during conversations.
• Real-life Scenes: All the scenes shown in the game are based on actual Japan’s geography, allowing you to travel to Japan virtually.
• Lessons: The game uses bite-sized learning, introducing each concept in an easy-to-understand and suitable portion.
• Smart Test: With more than 15 question types, the built-in Spaced Repetition System allows players to focus on difficult-to-remember words. 
• Mini Games: The game includes several mini-games that allow players to learn enjoyably.

• Boss Fight: To proceed to each adventure, the player must fight bosses that challenge their Japanese skills.
• Interactive Dictionary: Review all the Japanese words, vocabulary, and more anytime with the dictionary. The players can also practice writing the kanji in the game!
• Fill Your Kanjidex: Collect’em all ! Look for all the Japanese words during the journey!
• Progress Tracking: The Dynamic dashboard will closely monitor the player’s improvements.
• Leaderboards: Share your scores and compete with your friends and the community

Partnerships with Japanese Prefectures

Wagotabi’s immersive and engaging Japanese learning approach is further enhanced by its partnerships with Japanese prefectures. We were very surprised and impressed that a Japanese learning game could collaborate with the government when we first heard of it, which is why we want to share this game so much with you. More information about the partnership is that the game’s first map, based on Kagawa Prefecture, features town elements inspired by real-life architecture. The developer has said that future collaborations with other prefectures will happen. It will promise to provide an authentic and immersive learning experience rooted in real Japanese locations and culture.

How Do You Learn Japanese Through Wagotabi?

In short, through interactive quests in the game!

Wagotabi offers a series of quests or missions that take players through different storylines and environments that focus on Japanese culture. These quests and missions work by asking the players to complete a sentence by choosing the correct particle or the proper kanjis. As players progress, they will face more challenges that require them to use the Japanese knowledge they gained in Wagotabi creatively and practically.

During these journeys, the game will gradually introduce more advanced grammar, characters, vocabulary, and kanjis. As the players progress, they will face more challenges that require them to use the Japanese knowledge they gained in Wagotabi creatively and practically.

Now, instead of looking through and memorizing the endless vocabulary list, people can learn Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, grammar, and more as they appear in the Japanese learning adventure. The content used in the game is derived from the JLPT N1-N5 levels. Is the content accurate? No worries. 300 teachers and natives have tested this game, and we played through them! Here are some statistics for you to know about Wagotabi:

• +190 carefully selected words and grammar points 
• +100 Kanji
• +250 example sentences
• +750 voiced Japanese dialogues
• +190 unique NPCs in-game
• +300 teachers in +60 countries reviewing the app

Wagotabi releases new content regularly, featuring new lessons, areas, and improvements, so stay tuned!!

Benefits of Learning Japanese Through Wagotabi

First, we want to share that Wagotabi and Coto’s approach to teaching Japanese to passionate learners is the same: making learning fun. At the same time, both of us want to provide opportunities for the learners to immerse themselves in Japanese culture; hence, Wagotabi created these amazing in-game arts, and our school has rolled out multiple Japanese cultural activities for students to participate in.

Gamification Makes Learning Fun

One advantage of learning Japanese through Wagotabi is its gamified approach. Traditional language-learning methods often need to be more varied and varied. However, by integrating fun challenges, storylines, and rewards, Wagotabi keeps Japanese language learners engaged and motivated.

Active Learning and Immediate Feedback

Wagotabi encourages active learning by requiring players to interact with the language in the game. Many features in the game help reinforce memory retention. The instant feedback feature lets the players know if they have selected the correct word or proper grammar. For the parts that the players have struggled with, they can always go back to review and practice as many times as they want to.

Personalized Japanese Learning Path

Wagotabi allows players to learn Japanese at their own pace. The game starts at a beginner level, and the difficulty increases as you progress. However, if you are an experienced learner, you can also advance the journey by skipping some of the stories. However, it is recommended that you play the game throughout. If the players are stuck, no worries; the game is designed so that you can focus on areas that need improvements.

Rich Cultural Insights

Wagotabi also collaborates with the local prefectures to give players a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. Many of the game’s quests are themed around traditional and modern Japanese life, helping learners understand everything about Japan. This cultural context makes language learning feel more meaningful and relevant and can enrich your travel or study experience in Japan.

How Learning Through Wagotabi Reflects Coto Teaching Methods

We are convinced that the best way to learn is through interactions. We believe that learning Japanese should be fun and immersive. At Coto, we do our best to get students out of the classroom and immersed in practical, everyday situations. 

From the moment we heard about Wagotabi—a game designed to teach Japanese through fun and engaging missions—it immediately caught our attention. We couldn’t help but draw a parallel with our courses at Coto Japanese Academy, where interactive and practical learning is at the heart of what we do.

In our Crash Course— where our students practice real-life skills like asking for directions or buying an item at the convenience store— Wagotabi helps learners apply Japanese in context. Both methods focus on learning by doing, allowing students to build confidence and develop practical communication skills they can use immediately.

We also share a philosophy: there are many ways to learn a language. At Coto, we encourage a mix of methods to complement classroom learning—be it interactive games like Wagotabi, focused reading exercises, or conversation practice. By combining these approaches, learners can engage with Japanese in a dynamic, adaptable way suited to their personal goals.Whether through our classes or Wagotabi’s challenges, the goal is to make Japanese learning effective, enjoyable, and memorable. That’s the power of interactive learning.

How to Download the Free Wagotabi Demo

• Steam Download
• iOS Download
• Android Download

How to Download the Full Version of Wagotabi

• iOS Download
• Android Download

Other Wagotabi Links

• Support Wagotabi on Patreon
• Join Wagotabi’s Discord Community