は and が are the first real hurdle in learning Japanese. Both can appear after nouns, and many sentences work with either — but they feel different. At N5, you don't need every rule. Just nail the core distinction.
Core Difference: は Sets the Topic, が Marks the Subject
| Particle | Function | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| は | Introduces the topic: "Speaking of A..." | Emphasizes what comes after |
| が | Marks the subject: "It's A!" | Emphasizes what comes before |
Feel the difference with this pair:
リンゴが好きです。 → I like apples. (neutral statement) リンゴは好きです。 → Apples, well, I do like them. (implies maybe not other things)
- が好きです → simply saying "I like apples"
- は好きです → "as for apples, yes I like them" (but other fruits? maybe not)
は: Introduces a Topic, Focuses on What Follows
は lifts something up as the topic, then provides information about it. The emphasis is on the second half:
田中さんは先生です。 → Tanaka is a teacher. (telling you Tanaka's identity) 今日は暑いです。 → Today is hot. (telling you about today's weather)
は commonly appears in:
- Self-introductions: 私は学生です。 → I'm a student.
- Describing attributes: 日本語は難しいです。 → Japanese is difficult.
- Contrast: 肉は好きですが、魚は嫌いです。 → Meat I like, but fish I dislike.
が: Marks the Subject, Focuses on What's Before
が puts the spotlight on the noun before it, emphasizing "this one right here":
誰が来ますか。 → Who is coming? 田中さんが来ます。 → Tanaka is coming. (emphasizing it's Tanaka, not anyone else)
が commonly appears in:
- Answering "who/what": 何がありますか。 → What's there?
- New information: あ、猫がいます！ → Oh, there's a cat!
- Existence sentences: 教室に学生がいます。 → There are students in the classroom.
A Practical Decision Method
When you're not sure which to use, ask yourself: "Do I want to emphasize what comes before or after?"
| Want to Emphasize | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| What follows | は | 田中さんは先生です。(Tanaka is a teacher) |
| What precedes | が | 田中さんが先生です。(Tanaka is the teacher) |
Another pair:
Q: 先生は誰ですか。 → Who is the teacher? (は sets "teacher" as topic) A: 田中さんが先生です。 → Tanaka is the teacher. (が emphasizes the answer)
Fixed Patterns: Must-Use が Situations
At N5, several situations require が — no need to deliberate:
- Existence sentences: ～に＿があります／います
- Question words as subjects: 誰が, 何が
- Objects of 好き/嫌い/わかる/ほしい: ＿が好きです
These are grammar rules — just memorize them.
Summary
- は = introduces a topic, emphasizes what follows ("Speaking of A...")
- が = marks the subject, emphasizes what precedes ("It's A!")
- は is common for descriptions and contrast; が for new information and existence sentences
- Existence sentences, question-word subjects, and 好き/ほしい objects require が
Practice Questions
Q1. What's the difference between 「リンゴが好きです」 and 「リンゴは好きです」?
Show Answer
- リンゴが好きです → I like apples. (neutral statement)
- リンゴは好きです → Apples, yes, I like them. (implies other fruits might not be liked — contrastive nuance)
は sets リンゴ as a topic and implies comparison with other things. が simply states the fact.
Q2. Answer the question: 「誰が先生ですか。」 — Tanaka is the teacher.
Show Answer
田中さんが先生です。
When answering "who" questions, the answer is new information, so use が to emphasize it.
Q3. Fill in the particle: 「教室に学生＿います。」
Show Answer
教室に学生がいます。
This is a fixed pattern for existence sentences: Place に ＿ が あります／います.