A1 Japanese Grammar || Topic Particle は

This is definitely one of the first Japanese particles you should learn: the Topic Particle は (wa).

As you might have noticed, the Japanese language has many grammatical particles, also called function markers.

They give context to other words, so for example we’ll have:

• The object particle を
• The subject particle が
• The possessive particle の
• etc

This is a very short lesson, make sure to have a look in our Japanese Grammar Bank for more like this!

Topic Particle は | Introduction

Topic Particle は | Examples

Topic Particle は | Omitting the particle

Topic Particle は | FAQ’s

Topic Particle は | Introduction

In Japanese, the topic particle は follows a noun and is used to identify the topic. When は is used as a particle, it is pronounced “wa”. 

It is important to understand the use and function of topic particle は because it is used so frequently, and because it marks the topic of not only a sentence, but possibly even a short conversation.

In Japanese, when something is discussed multiple times, the topic itself and the topic particle は are regularly omitted.

This means that we have to pay attention to where は is, and where ha isn’t.

In a dialogue, if a person is speaking and not expressing the topic, it is likely that the topic has already been established. It can certainly be tricky for people new to the language!

Topic Particle は | Examples

When using は (ha) to identify the topic, は always comes after the topic.

For example:

In this table, the topic has been underlined in each of the examples. Let’s take a look at the first one. 

To make an “I am” statement, you can follow “watashi wa” with a noun, followed by desu,

For example:

In this sentence, the topic is “I” (Watashi wa). You identify yourself as the topic of the sentence, and follow with the information you want to share about yourself.  In this case, it is that you are a student. 

Topic Particle は | Omitting the Topic & the Particle

You can then continue to speak about the topic, but omit the topic altogether; it will be implied that you are still talking about the topic.

• 私は学生です。東京大学に通っています。一年生です。
• わたしはがくせいです。とうきょうだいがくにかよっています。いちねんせいです。
• Watashi wa gakusei desu. toukyou daigaku ni kayotteimasu. Ichi nen sei desu.
• I am a student. (I) am attending Tokyo University. (I) am a first year student.

Note that in the English translation, the words in the parentheses are implied, and not spoken. The topic was identified in the first sentence.

Because the topic remained the same in the next two sentences, there is no need to state the topic again.

It is understood that it is you, the speaker, who attends Tokyo University, and who is a first year student. 

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Learn more about the Japanese Topic Marker in the following Flexi lessons:

I Am Japanese (Intro)
What Is Your Job? (A1, Chapter 1)
Tom Is At School (A1, Chapter 3)

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Topic Particle は // FAQ’s