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Japanese Learning TIPS

The Difference Between ParticleParticle 「が」 (ga) vs 「を」 (o)|Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

  • 06 Dec, 2025
  • Com 0
(Alt Text: Door opening by itself [Ga] vs. Joy pushing the door [O])
(Door opening by itself [Ga] vs. Joy pushing the door [O])

“I ate the pizza.” (Piza o tabemashita)
“The pizza is here.” (Piza ga arimasu)
Particles are tricky! が (Ga) marks the Subject (who/what is doing it), and を (O) marks the Object (what is being acted upon). Mixing them up can make the pizza eat YOU! Let’s clear this up with Joy and Ken.

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy is standing in front of a door.

Joy
ケンさん、見てください!
このドアは自動(じどう)ですね。
ドア を 開(あ)きました!

(Ken, look! This door is automatic. The door “opened [object marker]”!)
Ken
Joyさん、おしい!
Joyさんが開けたなら「を」ですが、勝手に開いたなら「ドア が 開(あ)きました」ですよ。

(Joy, close! If YOU opened it, it’s “O”, but if it opened by itself, it is “Door GA akimashita”.)

💡 Explanation

Subject vs. Object (Intransitive vs. Transitive)

1. 〜が (Ga) = Subject Marker

Focus: The thing that does the action (or exists)
Used with Intransitive Verbs (actions that happen naturally) or for existence.

  • ドアが 開(あ)く。
    (The door opens [by itself].)
  • 雨(あめ)が 降(ふ)る。
    (Rain falls [Natural phenomenon].)
  • 猫(ねこ)が いる。
    (There is a cat [Existence].)

2. 〜を (O) = Object Marker

Focus: The target of an action
Used with Transitive Verbs (actions done by someone TO something).

  • (私が) ドアを 開(あ)ける。
    (I open the door.)
  • ご飯を 食べる。
    (Eat rice.)
  • テレビを 見る。
    (Watch TV.)

📊 Comparison Table

Particle Role Verb Type
が (Ga) Subject
(The thing moving)
Intransitive
(Aku, Ochiru, Tomaru)
を (O) Object
(The target)
Transitive
(Akeru, Otosu, Tomeru)

🚧 Joy’s Mistake

(Joy wants to say she eats pizza)

❌ Wrong: ピザ が 食べます。
(Translation: “The Pizza eats [something].” Scary! The pizza is the subject!)

✅ Right: ピザ を 食べます。
(Translation: “I eat the pizza.” You are doing the action to the pizza.)

🔥 Practice Quiz

Tap to check the answer!

Q1. I dropped my phone.
(Sumaho ______ otoshimashita.)
Answer: o (を)
You did the action (drop) to the object (phone).
Q2. The light turned on.
(Denki ______ tsukimashita.)
Answer: ga (が)
The light turned on by itself/state change (Intransitive).
Q3. I like Sushi.
(Sushi ______ suki desu.)
Answer: ga (が)
Special Rule: Use “Ga” for “Suki”, “Kirai”, “Jouzu”, “Heta”.
Keep practicing with JPLT!

 

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