Particles
Hiragana 3
Chapter 9 ยท Particles
๐ธ The Particles ใฏ ใธ ใ โ Reading Real Sentences
Three characters you already know do a second job in sentences: ใฏ is read wa, ใธ is read e and ใ is read o. This is the last rule you need to read ordinary Japanese in hiragana. Romaji is shown for everything.
๐ Three Characters, Two Jobs
You already know every character on the page, and now one more rule: three of them have a second pronunciation when they are particles, the small words that glue a sentence together. Written the same, but read differently.
| Character | Normal sound | As a particle | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ใฏ | ha | wa | marks the topic: "as forโฆ" | ใใใใฏ ใใใใใงใใ Watashi wa gakusei desu. |
| ใธ | he | e | direction: "to, towards" | ใจใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ Tลkyล e ikimasu. |
| ใ | (only a particle) | o | marks the object of a verb | ใปใใ ใใฟใพใใ Hon o yomimasu. |
๐ Read It โ Your First Sentences
Every character in these sentences is one you have learned. Read the Japanese first, remembering the three particles, then check the romaji.
| # | Sentence | Romaji | English | Particle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ใใใใฏ ใใใใใงใใ | Watashi wa gakusei desu. | I am a student. | ใฏ = wa: topic |
| 2 | ใใใใฏ ใใ ใฆใใใงใใ | Kyล wa ii tenki desu. | It's nice weather today. | ใฏ = wa: topic |
| 3 | ใจใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ | Tลkyล e ikimasu. | I'm going to Tokyo. | ใธ = e: direction |
| 4 | ใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ | Kaisha e ikimasu. | I'm going to the office. | ใธ = e: direction |
| 5 | ใปใใ ใใฟใพใใ | Hon o yomimasu. | I read a book. | ใ = o: object |
| 6 | ใฟใใ ใฎใฟใพใใ | Mizu o nomimasu. | I drink water. | ใ = o: object |
| 7 | ใใฏใใ ใในใพใใ | Gohan o tabemasu. | I eat a meal. | ใ = o: object |
| 8 | ใใใใใ ใจใใพใใ | Shashin o torimasu. | I take a photo. | ใ = o: object |
| 9 | ใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ | ลsaka e ikimasu. | I'm going to Osaka. | ใธ = e: direction |
| 10 | ใใใใ ใใใใใงใใ | Watashi mo gakusei desu. | I'm a student too. | ใ = mo: "also" |
๐ค One More Thing: ใ
The character ใ (n) quietly changes its sound depending on what follows it. You do not need to practise this: your mouth does it automatically. But you will see it in romaji.
| Word | Say it | English | What happens to ใ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ใปใ | hon | book | at the end: a soft nasal n |
| ใใใฝ | sampo | a walk | before p: sounds like m |
| ใใใถใ | shimbun | newspaper | before b: sounds like m |
| ใใใดใค | empitsu | pencil | before p: sounds like m |
| ใใใใ | kankoku | Korea | before k: sounds like ng |
| ใใใใ | ginkล | bank | before k: sounds like ng |
โ๏ธ Try It Yourself โ ใใใใ ใ
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Which three characters change their sound when used as particles, and what do they sound like?
Show answer
ใฏ (wa), ใธ (e) and ใ (o).
2. Read aloud and translate: ใใใใฏ ใใใใใงใใ
Show answer
Watashi wa gakusei desu: I am a student.
3. Read aloud and translate: ใจใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ
Show answer
Tลkyล e ikimasu: I'm going to Tokyo.
4. Read aloud and translate: ใฟใใ ใฎใฟใพใใ
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Mizu o nomimasu: I drink water.
5. Is the ใฏ in ใฏใช (flower) read wa?
Show answer
No: it is read ha (hana). ใฏ is wa only as the topic particle.
6. Write in hiragana: Hon o yomimasu. ยท Kaisha e ikimasu. (with the right particles)
Show answer
ใปใใ ใใฟใพใใ ยท ใใใใใธ ใใใพใใ