JLPT N5 Core particles
N5 particles mark each word's role: は sets the topic, が marks the subject, を the object, and に・へ・で mark destination, time, and place of action. The biggest trap is は vs が, followed closely by に vs で: に marks where something exists or goes, で marks where an action happens.
14 N5 grammar points in this group
は (wa): topic marker
は has two jobs at N5.
私は学生です。 — I’m a student.
が (ga): subject marker
が has no English translation of its own. It is a label that says “this word is the subject.” In 雨が降っています (“It’s raining”), が marks 雨 as the thing that is falling.
雨が降っています。 — It’s raining.
は vs が (wa vs ga): the beginner-friendly difference
は marks the topic: it tells the listener what the sentence is about. Natural translations include "as for..." or "speaking of...".
私[わたし]は 学生[がくせい]です。 — As for me, I am a student.
を (o / wo): object marker particle
を has no English translation of its own. English shows the object by word order: "I read *a book*".
毎朝、コーヒーを飲みます。 — I drink coffee every morning.
の (no): possessive particle
In A の B, the noun B is the thing you are talking about, and A narrows it down.
これは私の本です。 — This is my book.
に (ni): destination; time
に has no single English translation. Depending on the sentence it becomes “to,” “at,” “in,” or “on,” and sometimes it disappears in English completely.
毎朝八時に学校に行きます。 — I go to school at eight every morning.
に/へ (ni / e): to; toward
Placed after a place noun with a movement verb, both particles translate as to or toward:
明日、東京へ行きます。 — I'm going to Tokyo tomorrow.
で (de): at; by
で attaches to a noun and links that noun to the verb at the end of the sentence. The noun is not the one doing the action and not the thing being acted on. It is the background: the place, the tool, the vehicle, the language, or the group the statement is limited to.
図書館で — I study at the library.
と (to): and; with
1. "And" — a complete list of nouns. パンと卵を買いました — I bought bread and eggs. The list is closed: bread and eggs, nothing more worth mentioning.
公園に犬と猫がいます。 — There's a dog and a cat in the park.
も (mo): too or also
も tells the listener that a statement already made (or clearly implied) also applies to a new item.
A：私は明日のパーティーに行きます。 B：私も行きます。 — A: I’m going to the party tomorrow. B: I’m going too.
や (ya): and; or
や links two or more nouns and marks them as representative examples of a larger group. The idea “and other things like that” is built in, even if the English translation just says “and.
机の上に本やノートがあります。 — There are books, notebooks and other things on the desk.
か～か (ka ka): or
か～か presents alternatives. The listener or the speaker has to pick one.
コーヒーかお茶か、どちらがいいですか。 — Which would you like, coffee or tea?
まで (made): until or as far as
まで means the action or state keeps going right up to the point you name.
毎日、五時まで — I work until five every day.
だけ (dake): only or just
だけ limits whatever comes directly before it. Everything outside that limit is excluded.
水だけください。 — Just water, please.
Often confused in this group
- に vs で — に marks where something exists or ends up; で marks where an action takes place. 部屋にいる (I'm in my room) vs 部屋で寝る (I sleep in my room).