"wa" and "ga"

Particles of "は" and "が" and nothing after noun are probably one of the most confusing things.

I want to explain the difference of these words today.
For example,

1.私がジンです。
わたしがじんです。
watashi ga Jin desu.

2.私はじんです。
　わたしはじんです。
watashi wa Jin desu.

3.私、じんです。
　わたし、じんです
watashi, Jin desu.

Those are all translated to "I am Jin."
It must be confusing for English speaker.

When I use "が/ga", I am emphasizing "わたし".
When I use "は/wa", I am emphasizing "じん".
When I use nothing, I am emphasizing nothing.

In English, people put an accent on a word, instead.

わたしがじんです。 = I am Jin.
わたしはじんです。 = I am Jin.
わたし、じんです。 = I am Jin.(No accent)


When I say　"わはし'が'じんです。", It means,
I am Jin.(as you know) (I am the famous Jin)

When I say　"わはし'は'じんです。", It means,
I am Jin. (as far as I am concerned)

Ex1.
A:じんはだれですか？
Who is Jin?

B:わたしがじんです。
I am Jin.


Ex2.
A:わたし、じんです。
I am Jin.

B:わたしはじょんです。
I am John.


Ex3.
A:きょう、だれ が ぎちょうする？
Who will be the chairperson today?

B:わたし が します。
I will do it. (Only I do, other people don't have to do it.)

Vocab.
ぎちょう/gichou = chairperson, a leader of the meeting


Ex4.
A:きょう の のみかい いく？
Will you go to today's party?

B:わたし は いきます。
I will go. (I don't know if other people will go.)

Vocab.
のみかい/nomikai = party, drinking with more than several people


Ex5.
A:くるま が ひつよう です。
Car is necessary. (What I need is a car.)

B:くるま は ひつようです。
Car is necessary. (I need at least a car. I may also need other things.)

Vocab.
くるま/kuruma = car
ひつよう/hitsuyou = necessary


I hope this helps you understand.
I would welcome any comments and questions.

Comments

Another very good article, I'll admit I still get tripped up by が and わ.

As I continue to read though one or the other just seems more "correct" to use. Good to see it broken down like this, I'll be looking at が and わ with a new perspective which will hopefully lead to a clearer understanding.

Posted by suffah at 2007年02月22日 10:28

Thank for the compliment Suffah,

Just so you know, when we write "wa" as particle after noun in Japanese like "WATASHIWA", it is writen ｢わたしは」instead of ｢わたしわ」.

So write は/ha and pronounce わ/wa.

Similary, え/e is written へ/he when it is used as particle after nouns.

Ex. がっこうへいく。(I go to the school.)
gakkou e iku.

Also, お/o is written を/wo.

Ex.ごはんをたべる。(I eat a meal.)
gohan o taberu.

Just those three are irregular.

Take care!

Posted by Jin at 2007年02月22日 13:34