Japanese Grammar: The “は〜が…” (Topic-Subject) Pattern

By /
Japanese Grammar: The “は〜が…” (Topic-Subject) Pattern
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

‘As for [Topic], the [Subject/Part] is [Property].’ This pattern is used to describe attributes, physical characteristics, preferences, or abilities.

🎯 Primary Function

To define a general topic (wa) and then provide specific information about a sub-part or attribute (ga) of that topic.

📋 Grammar Structure

[Topic] は [Subject/Part] が [Verb]
[Topic] は [Subject/Part] が [i-Adjective] です
[Topic] は [Subject/Part] が [na-Adjective] です
[Topic] は [Subject/Part] が [Adjective/Verb Negative form]

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Common in self-introductions or formal reports when describing characteristics or data.

😊 Informal Situations

Used constantly in daily conversation to talk about likes, health, and physical appearance.

✍️ Written Language

Used in descriptive essays and biographies.

🗣️ Spoken Language

The most natural way to express ‘I have a headache’ or ‘I like…’ in Japanese.

💡 Common Applications

Physical Descriptions
Used to describe body parts or physical traits of a person or animal.
Example: 彼は目が大きいです。(He has big eyes.)
Preferences and Feelings
Used with words like ‘suki’ (like) or ‘kirai’ (dislike) to state personal feelings about a topic.
Example: 私は猫が好きです。(I like cats.)
Abilities
Used to express proficiency or lack thereof in a specific skill.
Example: 彼女は料理が上手です。(She is good at cooking.)
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
N4 (Advanced Elementary)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
ゾウは鼻が長いです。
Furigana: ゾウははながながいです。
Romaji: Zou wa hana ga nagai desu.
English: As for elephants, their trunks are long. (Elephants have long trunks.)
Example #2
私は日本語が少し分かります。
Furigana: わたしはにほんごがすこしわかります。
Romaji: Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasu.
English: I understand Japanese a little.
Example #3
姉は背が高いです。
Furigana: あねはせがたかいです。
Romaji: Ane wa se ga takai desu.
English: My older sister is tall. (As for my sister, her height is high.)
Example #4
この料理は味が薄いです。
Furigana: このりょうりはあじがうすいです。
Romaji: Kono ryouri wa aji ga usui desu.
English: This dish has a weak flavor. (As for this dish, the taste is thin.)
Example #5
彼はテニスが上手です。
Furigana: かれはテニスがじょうずです。
Romaji: Kare wa tenisu ga jouzu desu.
English: He is good at tennis.
Example #6
猫は耳が良いです。
Furigana: ねこはみみがよいです。
Romaji: Neko wa mimi ga yoi desu.
English: Cats have good hearing. (As for cats, their ears are good.)
Example #7
私は頭が痛いです。
Furigana: わたしはあたまがいたいです。
Romaji: Watashi wa atama ga itai desu.
English: I have a headache. (As for me, my head hurts.)
Example #8
田中さんは髪が短いです。
Furigana: たなかさんはかみがみじかいです。
Romaji: Tanaka-san wa kami ga mijikai desu.
English: Mr. Tanaka has short hair.
Example #9
日本は山が多いです。
Furigana: にほんはやまがおおいです。
Romaji: Nihon wa yama ga ooi desu.
English: Japan has many mountains. (As for Japan, mountains are numerous.)
Example #10
妹は歌が好きです。
Furigana: いもうとはうたがすきです。
Romaji: Imouto wa uta ga suki desu.
English: My younger sister likes singing.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

The ‘Macro-Micro’ Relationship
The word before ‘wa’ sets the context, and the word before ‘ga’ is the specific thing being described within that context.
Example: 北海道は冬が寒いです。(As for Hokkaido, winter is cold.)
Used with Potential/Stative Verbs
Verbs like ‘wakaru’ (understand), ‘dekiru’ (can do), and ‘iru/aru’ (need/exist) usually take ‘ga’ for the object.
Example: 私は日本語が分かります。(I understand Japanese.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 私はりんごを好きです。
✅ 私はりんごが好きです。
In Japanese, the object of ‘like’ is marked with ‘ga’, not ‘o’, because ‘suki’ is an adjective.
❌ 背が大きいです。
✅ 背が高いです。 (Literal: Height is high)
Beginners often try to use ‘ookii’ (big) for height, but ‘takai’ (high/tall) is the correct adjective for people.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral-Polite. Using ‘desu’ at the end makes it standard polite Japanese suitable for most social interactions.
Social Situations: Essential for talking about health (e.g., ‘My stomach hurts’) and social preferences.
Regional Variations: In some dialects (like Kansai-ben), the ‘ga’ might be omitted or replaced in very casual speech, but ‘wa…ga’ remains the standard structure.

🔍 Subtle Differences

[Topic] の [Subject] は [Adjective]
‘Hana no zou wa nagai’ means ‘The elephant of the trunk is long’ (awkward/incorrect). ‘Zou no hana wa nagai’ is grammatically correct but emphasizes ‘The elephant’s trunk’ rather than ‘The elephant’ as a topic.
When to use: Use ‘wa…ga’ when the focus is on the Topic (The elephant); use ‘no…wa’ when the focus is on the specific part (The trunk).

📝 Conjugation Notes

The ‘ga’ particle remains constant regardless of the politeness level or tense of the following adjective or verb. Only the final predicate changes.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure there is a slight, natural pause after ‘wa’ to clearly establish the topic before moving into the specific description.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘wa’ as a giant spotlight on a stage (the Topic) and ‘ga’ as a laser pointer focusing on a specific detail within that stage (the Subject).

Other Grammar

Related Posts

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top