Wa vs Ga (は vs が): The Simple Way to Tell Them Apart

Quick answer: は (wa) marks the topic, the thing you're talking about, and puts the focus on what comes after it. が (ga) marks the subject and puts the focus on the word before it. Use が for new information, answers to "who/what" questions, and with words like すき (like), ある/いる (there is) and わかる (understand).

Why Japanese has two "subject" particles

In English, "I" is just the subject. In Japanese, you choose between は and が depending on what you want to highlight. It's less about grammar rules and more about where the listener's attention goes.

This is one of the first particle choices covered in our Japanese grammar guide, and it sits right next to another classic beginner puzzle, に vs で.

Rule 1: は introduces the topic

Think of は as "as for…" or "speaking of…". It tells the listener what you're talking about, and the important part of the sentence comes after it.

わたしは がくせいです。
Watashi wa gakusei desu. I'm a student. (As for me, I'm a student.)

きょうは あついですね。
Kyō wa atsui desu ne. It's hot today, isn't it?

The listener already knows who or what you mean. The new information is "student" and "hot."

Note: は is written with the hiragana for "ha" but pronounced "wa" when it's a particle.

Rule 2: が highlights new or important information

が shines a spotlight on the word right before it. Use it when that word is the answer, a surprise, or something new to the conversation.

だれが きましたか。
Dare ga kimashita ka. Who came?

たなかさんが きました。
Tanaka-san ga kimashita. Tanaka came. (Tanaka is the answer.)

Question words like だれ (who), なに (what) and どこ (where) always take が when they're the subject, never は. The word that answers them takes が too.

Rule 3: Some words always use が

These common expressions mark the thing you like, want, have or understand with が:

Pattern	Example	Meaning
すき / きらい (like / dislike)	ねこが すきです。	I like cats.
じょうず / へた (good at / bad at)	りょうりが じょうずです。	She's good at cooking.
ある / いる (there is)	こうえんに いぬが います。	There's a dog in the park.
わかる (understand)	えいごが わかります。	I understand English.
ほしい (want)	あたらしい くつが ほしいです。	I want new shoes.

Rule 4: は shows contrast

は can also set two things against each other, even in the middle of a sentence:

コーヒーは のみますが、おちゃは のみません。
Kōhī wa nomimasu ga, ocha wa nomimasen. I drink coffee, but I don't drink tea.

Rule 5: Use が inside a describing clause

When a short clause describes a noun, the subject inside that clause takes が, not は:

わたしが かいた え
watashi ga kaita e the picture I drew

Common mistakes

• Using は after a question word. ✗ だれは きましたか → ✓ だれが きましたか
• Using を with すき. ✗ ねこを すきです → ✓ ねこが すきです
• Answering a が question with は. If someone asks なにが いちばん すきですか, answer with が: すしが いちばん すきです.

Quick quiz

Fill in は or が:

1. あそこに ねこ（ ）います。
2. わたし（ ）たなかです。
3. なに（ ）いちばん すきですか。
4. にく（ ）たべますが、さかな（ ）たべません。

Answers: 1. が (something exists: いる) · 2. は (introducing yourself, so "I" is the topic) · 3. が (question word as subject) · 4. は, は (contrast)

Frequently asked questions

Is は or が on the JLPT N5?

Both are core N5 grammar, and they show up again in N4 and N3 questions where the choice depends on context. Expect at least one particle question on every level's grammar section.

Can I just always use は?

You'll be understood most of the time, but your Japanese will sound unnatural, and you'll get JLPT questions wrong. The rules above cover the vast majority of cases.

Practice until it feels natural

Particles stick through repetition, not memorizing rules. In Kantan JLPT, grammar fill-in-the-blank cards come back in your review queue until the right particle feels automatic. New to the test? Start with JLPT levels explained.