Questions tagged [particle-が]

助詞「が」. Nominative case particle, typically indicating the subject of a verb or other predicate. Also a conjunctive particle and, in Classical Japanese, a genitive case particle.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
194 votes
5 answers
44k views

What's the difference between wa (は) and ga (が)?

When is it correct to use は but not が, and when is it correct to use が but not は? Are there any times when you can use either without changing the meaning of the sentence? How does switching change ...
nevan king's user avatar
  • 7,108
63 votes
3 answers
24k views

The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb

When using the potential form of a verb, I was taught that the particle を becomes が. However, in real life this seems to not always be the case. I've even heard Japanese people use を instead of が ...
phirru's user avatar
  • 6,748
46 votes
6 answers
30k views

Pronouncing が as 'nga'

I'm a beginner and am learning from CD (Pimsleur). There are two native speakers going through the dialogue. One, the man, pronounces が as I would expect - 'ga'. The other (female) pronounces it as '...
Synesso's user avatar
  • 563
30 votes
5 answers
16k views

Why is it 日本語がわかります instead of 日本語をわかります?

From what I understand, は is the topic marker, が is the subject marker, and を is the object marker. One of the first sentences I learned doesn't seem to fit the rules I described above. The sentence ...
Alan C's user avatar
  • 1,691
22 votes
3 answers
4k views

が and に interchangeability and difference in meaning

Consider these sentences: だれ{が・に}これが出来るか だれ{が・に}日本語が分からないか When both が and に are acceptable, what is their difference in meaning and practical usage?
Flaw's user avatar
  • 20k
19 votes
1 answer
2k views

Passive form - The exact difference between を and が

I've seen this question asked before, but i feel the answer didn't quite answer all my questions, so here goes. Now, I am rather sure that this: ケーキが食べられた Means: The cake was eaten. (by ...
Daniel Safari's user avatar
17 votes
5 answers
48k views

What's the difference between -ga and -o when they are used to designate a direct object?

During the past month I've been addicted to Japanese. I've listened to about 10 online tutorial video courses and read about as much printed lessons. I am determined to learn Japanese, but I am really ...
Armen Tsirunyan's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
6k views

を vs が with use against 好き?

The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb. and Is it true that all nouns must be able to accept a が particle and a を particle? are noted as possible duplicates; however, I haven'...
Wolfpack'08's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
2k views

私は猫が好き and 猫は私が好き

I started reading basic grammar of Japanese, and found this sentence: ねこがすきです。 I like cats. I thought が is the subject particle, so I supposed that ねこ would be the subject of the sentence. すき seems ...
Damkerng T.'s user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

Double subject construction?

I've recently been having trouble with constructions that seem to mark two subjects in the same clause. I've only encountered them in ~の方が... constructions, but I can't seem to make sense of them ...
Billy's user avatar
  • 1,395
15 votes
3 answers
4k views

Different meanings of こわい

I was watching this video (it's actually a really good series, despite the odd presentation). In it, there is the example: おばけがこわい。 Ghosts are scary. No problem there, but the series has been ...
user3856370's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does 「電話は切れた」 sound more adversarial than 「電話が切れた」?

I noticed that while 「…、電話が切れた」 sounds just like a neutral phrase ("... and the call got cut off."), 「…、電話は切れた」 sounds more like you were negatively affected / that the person on the other side ...
Darius Jahandarie's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
23k views

Nominalization with のが、のを

I've just learned to nominalize verbs with のを but as I was looking for more info on the web I saw that this is also done with のが and こと. The question "What is the difference between the nominalizers ...
Julian's user avatar
  • 969
12 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why is this sentence ungrammatical? 「お寺が公園のとなりです。」

I wrote this sentence (meaning "The temple is next to the park") in my Japanese course and my teacher said it's wrong, because I was supposed to use a は instead of a が. My understanding is that there ...
Wolf's user avatar
  • 275
12 votes
3 answers
901 views

に vs. が in the ~てほしい construction

I know there are already a few questions about this topic on this website, however none of them seemed to really help me with the issue. The ~てほしい contruction is used to express that someone wants ...
Kaskade's user avatar
  • 1,587
11 votes
3 answers
5k views

What does する mean when it does not mean "do"? (血のにおいがする)

What does する mean when it does not mean "do"? Like: あなたも血のにおいがするな
Pacerier's user avatar
  • 11.9k
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Meaning of volitional passive form

お姉ちゃんに何を言われようが、まる子はウキウキ気分なのであった。 What was said by her sister ???? but, Maruko felt cheerful. I can't think of any way in which something which is passive can also be volitional. How do I understand ...
user3856370's user avatar
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Problems with は and が

Consider: [A] 猫が好きだ To me this means [A']"I like cats." Contrast this to: [B] 猫は好きだ To me this means [B']"I like cats (among other animals)" I based my understanding of [B] from Derek ...
Flaw's user avatar
  • 20k
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

In this dialogue, why is は used in the question, but が in the answer?

田中さんは今日来ますか。 はい、来ますよ。あ、田中さんが 来ました。   Does Tanaka san come today? Yes, he does. Oh, Tanaka san came. I don't understand the use of が in the second sentence.
Ricchan10's user avatar
  • 101
9 votes
2 answers
283 views

Is Facebook's use of double が grammatically unambiguous?

Facebook has issued me the following alert: Aさんが、Bさんがあなたとシェアした写真について「いいね!」と言っています I think this is a translation of "A likes the photo that B shared with you." Is it obvious what's being said? Why ...
Avery's user avatar
  • 2,767
9 votes
2 answers
435 views

Logic behind "が" preferrence when using a "-たい" form

I have learned that when using a "-たい" form, when the sentence would normally require "を", you can use either "を" or "が", but "が" was actually preferred, "を" sounding unnatural. I searched about the ...
Cristol.GdM's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
3k views

What is the meaning of the 「だろうが」 in 「仲間だろうが!!!!」

It is from a line in One Piece: Another instance from the same manga:
null's user avatar
  • 1,611
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Why do we use が instead of を with a 他動詞 in the expression 車が止めてあります?

I was studying てあります and ています in the context of 他動詞 and 自動詞 with my Japanese teacher. I had to choose between 止める and 止まる in the following sentence: 学生:こんにちは。先生、お迎えに来ました。家の前に私の車が____。どうぞお乗りください。 ...
Vissen's user avatar
  • 95
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

〜がほしがっています vs 〜をほしがっています

I was wondering if the following two sentences have the same meaning. I'm seeing both をほしい and がほしい on my Anki deck and I was just wondering if they were interchangeable or if I just made a mistake ...
John's user avatar
  • 239
8 votes
1 answer
238 views

Not subject despite が?

I've come across the following dialogue: 「シグナムはお風呂どうします?」 「私は今夜はいい。明日の朝にするよ」 「お風呂好きが珍しいじゃん」 An unofficial, but to my mind high-quality translation offered something like "That's rare for a ...
user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Asking 'how much is the hotel for one night'

I'm trying to ask "How much is the hotel for one night?" After doing some reading online, I've come to two answers. But I'm not sure which one is correct. このホテルは いっぱく いくら ですか。 and このホテルは いっぱくが いくら ...
Jonty Morris's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
918 views

Analyzing sentences like 日本がピンチだ and 明日は雨だ

How are sentences like 日本がピンチだ (Japan is in a pinch) and 明日は雨だ (tomorrow it will rain) analyzed? Translating them trivially, as 日本がピンチだ Japan is a pinch 明日は雨だ Tomorrow is rain doesn't make sense. So ...
dainichi's user avatar
  • 13.6k
8 votes
1 answer
195 views

が following an i-adj

Seeing 「欲しいが仮眠する」* by a non-native for "I want to take a nap" I thought it is plainly grammatically wrong, but then after encountering 可愛いが in a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVmv_wyU-Ug&...
NoxArt's user avatar
  • 814
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

が vs を in sentences of desire (-たい)

According to Genki, expressions of desire ( -たい sentences such as in the examples below) which use the particle を can also use the particle が interchangeably, and besides stating that, they give no ...
mattb's user avatar
  • 1,734
7 votes
4 answers
8k views

Is it unusual to have the ga particle with a negative verb?

In saying that something doesn't exist, is it unusual to use the ga particle (が) and a negative verb? For example, would "(Uchi ni) Terebi ga arimasen" be an unusual way to say "There isn't a TV (at ...
Golden Cuy's user avatar
  • 16.2k
7 votes
3 answers
3k views

Use は or が with ある when the phrase doesn't explicit the place

I'm studying japanese from not that long and a doubt came to my mind studying ある and いる verbs, so sorry in advance if the question isn't clear. If we take those two phrases as example: A. ...
Giorgio Antonioli's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

What are the grammar rules behind this clause, 「才能があろうがなかろうが」?

才能があろうがなかろうが、そんなもん他人が決める事じゃない。どこの部に所属するかなんぞ俺が決める事だ I'm asking about the bolded clause. This is casual dialogue, in case there's any confusion about that. I don't normally put Japanese through Google ...
danish's user avatar
  • 85
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

「が」vs「の」 with possessives

I know that the normal possessive form is usually formed subject+「の」+object. Though, in one instance, I found が being used in 天は我が物. I know that 「が」 can be used to express possession, though is there ...
Williem F.'s user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
397 views

「星が見えない=Stars can't be seen」 but 「目が見えない=Eyes can't see」, why?

Are the two 「が」 different? Is 「目が見えない」 (at least in principle) ambiguous (eyes can't see / eyes can't be seen)?
null's user avatar
  • 1,611
7 votes
2 answers
4k views

What is the difference between それでいい and それがいい here?

As I understand it, それでいい means 'it is fine like this' and それがいい means 'this is fine', but what is the protagonist trying to convey here by first using それでいい and then correcting himself to それがいい? ...
oals's user avatar
  • 2,123
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

~色がする or ~色をする?

I came across the following sentence in an exercise, with the following propositions: 森さんが飼っている魚は、とてもきれいな色_____している。 A. に B. を C. で D. が I learnt that する is used with が when talking about something ...
Right leg's user avatar
  • 1,096
7 votes
1 answer
3k views

誰も used in a positive sentence

I am reviewing the interrogative words like 何、誰、どこ etc. and I saw 誰も being used in a positive sentence, I wonder what the difference would be if みんな were used instead. For example: 誰もが知っている ...
Tchang's user avatar
  • 2,000
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

How acceptable is 英語を上手になりたい?

英語が上手になりたい is the correct way to say it, and I have always considered 英語を上手になりたい incorrect. I occasionally see/hear the を version from native speakers, but it didn't bother me that much, thinking that ...
Eddie Kal's user avatar
  • 11.5k
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Does だけが mean "but only" or "not just"?

Earlier today I saw this sign: 煙{けむり}の行方{ゆくえ}。本人{ほんにん}だけが、他人{たにん}事{ごと}だった。 The English is different enough that I think we can mostly ignore it for the purposes of this question. It helpfully ...
Questioner's user avatar
  • 24.7k
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Difference between に and が for intransitive verbs

What is the difference between 試験に受かる and 試験が受かる? It seems that the first one means "to pass an exam" while the second one is more like "passing exams" (really not sure about it). In which cases ...
buskila's user avatar
  • 1,282
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

How to say "I hope I can" in this situation?

I would like to say: "I'm not very good, but I hope I can help you." My first thought would be to translate this as 「下手なんですが、手伝えるといいんですが。」 because in my Japanese class, we were taught ...
charlieshades's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
210 views

Difference between NはNが多い and NounにNが多い

この川にマスが多い。This river is full of trout. 新潟は雪が多い。 There’s much snow in Niigata What’s the difference between に and は here ? I learned only Noun1はNoun2がAdjい/な structure
Kiw's user avatar
  • 669
7 votes
2 answers
360 views

How to handle が and によって in this sort of sentence?

I'll be taking a written test in a few weeks to become a part-time translator for an automotive client; they sent me some practice documents in the meantime. I am having issues at the moment, since ...
AspiringTranslator's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
852 views

Does indirect passive allow for the を in "四方を海に囲まれる"

My textbook has this example: 四方を海に囲まれる。 Is it the indirect passive that allows for the を direct object marker to be used in that passive voice example? This sentence matches my understanding of ...
kairua's user avatar
  • 409
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to use the passive form to say "This flower was watered."

I would like to use the passive form in describing the fact that a flower has been watered. Is この花は水をやられた correct? What difference does この花は水がやられた make or would that be incorrect? A brief ...
ineedham's user avatar
  • 175
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

「だが」は単なる「が」に言い換えることができますか

このリンクにある「ちょっと〇〇するだけのつもりが、つい〇〇してしまった」の「つもりが」は実際は「つもりだが」の意味になっていると思えるんですけど、これは例外なのですか。それともどんな名詞の後ろにでも「だが」ではなく単に「が」が来られるということですか。 よろしくお願いします。
lightweaver's user avatar
  • 1,511
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

What does "声が出る" mean?

When somebody uses 声が出る, what is the significance of saying it this way as opposed to using 言う? Is this used commonly and does it have some sort of special nuance I'm not aware of?
Cole Fudge's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
490 views

は vs が in 私は言うように書いてください。

I have the following sentence in my anki app: Please write it down as I tell you. 私は言うように書いてください。 However my instincts tell me this should not be は but が. Am I correct?
Muhd's user avatar
  • 535
6 votes
1 answer
118 views

Why does は refer to a particular rather than general in some cases?

The sentence I am asking about is the following [魚]{さかな}が[好]{す}きじゃない[人]{ひと}は、[肉]{にく}が[好]{す}きだ 」 Person who does not like fish like meat Source: Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese My understanding, ...
rasnauf's user avatar
  • 163
6 votes
2 answers
934 views

Understanding why に particle means "because" in this sentence

I am struggling to understand the syntax of this sentence that I found in a grammar book. あまりの言葉にあきれてものが言えませんでした。 I could not say anything because of the outrageously unkind words. I read it as ...
Naruto's user avatar
  • 293

1
2 3 4 5
8