A common starting pattern is topic は + object を + verb, with the main verb at the end: 私はパンを食べます. Modifiers come before the word they describe. Compare the examples, then use the table to build your own sentences.
The idea
English often uses word order or a preposition before a noun. Japanese particles follow the phrase they mark: は sets a topic, を marks an object, に a destination and で an action’s location. Their functions do not map one-to-one to English words. After a noun, は introduces what the sentence is about; as a particle it is pronounced “wa”. In the cat sentence, は makes the cat the topic and the rest says that it is sleeping. A time expression such as today can also become the topic with は, sometimes suggesting a contrast. を follows the thing affected by a transitive verb: water is what one drinks. In the reading sentence it marks the book as the object of reading. With movement verbs such as walk, を can mark the route or area traversed, as in walking through a park. After a destination, に marks the place reached by a movement verb such as go. After a specific clock time such as seven, に tells when the action happens. With あります or います, に marks the place where something or someone exists. で follows the place where an action happens: studying takes place at school. It also marks a means of transport or a tool: the bus is how one travels. Reading happens at the library, so the activity location takes で; existence with あります uses に.
| Phrase | Continuation |
|---|---|
| 私は | 学生です |
| パンを | 食べます |
| 駅に | 行きます |
| 家で | お茶を飲みます |
Examples
- 私は学生です。I am a student.
- 猫が寝ています。The cat is sleeping.
- パンを食べます。I eat bread.
- 駅に行きます。I go to the station.
- 私は家でお茶を飲みます。I drink tea at home.
- 先生のかばんです。It is the teacher’s bag.
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Watch out
A topic is not always the grammatical subject. は can also mark contrast, so do not translate it mechanically as “is”. Relative expressions such as today and tomorrow normally do not take に. A place where an action happens usually takes で instead.
Try it yourself
私＿学生です。（は／を）
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は
After a noun, は introduces what the sentence is about; as a particle it is pronounced “wa”.
水＿飲みます。（を／に）
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を
を follows the thing affected by a transitive verb: water is what one drinks.
駅＿行きます。（に／を）
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に
After a destination, に marks the place reached by a movement verb such as go.
学校＿勉強します。（で／に）
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で
で follows the place where an action happens: studying takes place at school.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
私＿学生です。（は／を）
水＿飲みます。（を／に）
駅＿行きます。（に／を）
学校＿勉強します。（で／に）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Cover the examples. Make two new sentences using the pattern, then check them against the table.