All about Japanese Particles The function of Japanese particles Japanese particles are small words that indicate relations of words within a sentence. They follow other words such as nouns, verbs, …
List of 188 Japanese particles with meaning / usage
は (wa)Indicantes the topic of a sentence
か (ka)At the end of a sentence indicating a question
が (ga)Indicates the subject of a sentence
に (ni)Indicates a location
の (no)Indicates possession
は (wa)Indicates a contrast between 2 items
に (ni)Indicates time or frequency
へ (e)Indicates direction
を (wo/o)Indicates the direct object of a verb
と (to)Used to connect and list up multiple items
や (ya)Used to connect and partially list up multiple items
など (nado)Used with や (ya) to partially list up multiple items
も (mo)means “too”, “either”, “also”
も (mo)both…and…, neither…nor…
に (ni)Indicates the indirect object of a verb
に (ni)Indicates the surface of a object where some action takes place
で (de)Indicates the location of an action
と (to)Together with
の (no)Indicates an apposition
から (kara)Indicates a starting point in time or place
より (yori)Indicates a starting point in time or place but more formal than kara (20)
まで (made)Indicates a limit on time, space or quantity
くらい (kurai)Indicates an approximate amount
ほど (hodo)Indicates an approximate amount
ばかり(bakari)Indicates an approximate amount
で (de)Indicates a means or material
か (ka)Indicates a choice or alternative
を (wo/o)Indicates a point of departure
を (wo/o)Indicates a route of a movement/motion
に (ni)Indicates a point of arrival
に (ni)Indicates an entering motion
に (ni)Used together with a verb to express a purpose
と (to)Used when quoting someone
と いう (to iu)Indicates the name of something
とか (toka)“something like”
で (de)Indicates a limit or scope
と (to)Indicates a comparison
より (yori)Indicates a comparison
より (yori)Indicates superlative
くらい (kurai)Indicates a comparison
ほど (hodo)Indicates a comparison in a negative sentence
か (ka)someone, something
も (mo)“nothing”, nobody”, nowhere” if used with an interrogative word
に (ni)Used with a verb to indicate a change or choice
をする (wo/o suru)Expresses an occupation or position
でも (demo)Indicates emphasis
でも (demo)Together with an interrogative word it means “anything”, “anyone”, any time”
で (de)Indicates a cause or a reason
から (kara)Indicates a source such as a giver, a cause or material
に (ni)Indicates a person who gives something or who provides a service
は (wa) + が (ga)Indicates the relation between an object / subjects and a verb or adjective
が (ga)Connects two sentences with the meaning “but…”
を (wo/o)Used with an verb expressing emotions, it indicates the cause of this emotion
で (de)Indicates a state / condition of something
で (de)Limits numbers
だけ (dake)Indicates a limit on things or amounts
だけ (dake)Indicates a limit on an action or state
で (de)Indicates the time of completion or expiration of something
でも (demo)Following a noun, means “or something like this”
も (mo)Emphasizes in a positive or negative way
でも (demo)Indicates two or more items as an example of a larger list
ばかり (bakari)Indicates that an item, state or action is a single one
ばかり (bakari)Indicates an action was just completed
ところ (tokoro)Indicates that an action takes place, just took place or is about to take place
が (ga)Indicates the subject of subordinate clause when it is different from the subject of the main clause
から (kara)conjunction meaning “after” or “since”
ながら (nagara)Indicates that an action is happening simultaneously
が (ga)Indicates the subject of a relative clause
の (no)Indicates the subject of a relative clause
から (kara)Used as a conjunction and indicates a cause or reason
ので (node)Indicates a strong reason
の (no)Indicates a modified pronoun
の (no)Used to nominalize verbs & sentences
なら (nara)Used as a conjunction and indicates a supposition or condition
なら (nara)Indicates a topics and is used as an alternative to wa (No.1)
と (to)Indicates a condition that results in an inevitable outcome
ば (ba)Used as a conjunction to express a probable results
ばいい (ba)“all you have to do…”
ば (ba)Used to enumerate two or more actions or states
たら (tara)Used as a conjunction, indicates a supposition or condition
たら (tara)Used as a conjunction to indicate that one action takes place before the action described in the main sentence
ところ (tokoro)Used as a conjunction to indicate a condition that brings about a discovery
ても (temo)a conjunction meaning “even if”
ても (temo)Used with a set of contrasting verbs and adjectives
ても (temo)Together with an interrogative word it means “no matter what/where/who”
ては (tewa)Indicates a condition which will bring a negative conclusion
のみ (nomi)Indicates a limit (similar to だけ dake)
まで (made)“even”, used to emphasize
さえ (sae)“even”, used to emphasize
さえ (sae)“if only” or “as long as”
のに (noni)“although”, “in spite of the fact that”
ながら (nagara)“although”, “though”, “but”
とか (toka)Indicates that a list of two ore more things or actions is not exhaustive
たり (tari)List of two or more actions in no particular sequence
たり (tari)Indicates actions or states that alternate
のに (noni)Indicates a purpose or function
のです (no desu)Asks for an explanation or reason
きり (kiri)Indicates a limit to an amount
きり (kiri)Indicates the last time a certain incident occured
とも (tomo)Used with numbers and counters to mean “both” or “all”
ながら (nagara)Used with numbers and counters to mean “both” or “all”
しか (shika)Used with a negative verb to indicate limits on conditions or quantities meaning “only”
しかない (shika nai)used with a verb meaning “to have no choice but to”
し (shi)Used as a conjunction, indicating two or more actions or states
し (shi)Used as a conjunction indicating a reason
とも (tomo)Indicates inclusion
に (ni)Indicates the one acting or the one acted upon
か (ka)Indicates uncertainty about something
か (ka)Indicates uncertainty about a state or reason
だの (dano) Indicates two or more items or actions of a longer list (similar to toka とか)
だの (dano)Indicates a pair of opposite actions or states
など (nado)“something to the effect”
やら (yara)Indicates two or more items of a longer list
やら (yara)Indicates uncertainty
ても (temo)Indicates an approximate limit with the meaning of “at the most”
とも (tomo)Indicates an approximate maximum or minimum
は (wa)Indicates that a number is the higher or lowest limit
と (to)Emphasizes a number in a negative sentence
など (nado)Indicates examples
くらい (kurai)Expresses an extent of an action or condition similar to ぐらい gurai
ほど (hodo)Indicates the extend of an action or condition
ほど (hodo)“the more… the more…”
だけ (dake)“as… as…”
だけ (dake)“the more… the more…”
と (to)“about to do something”, “trying to do something”
と (to)“even if…”, “whether… or not”
なり (nari)“either…”, “whether…or”
なり (nari)“anything”, “anyone”, “any time”
こそ (koso)Emphasizes the word preceding it
こそ (koso)Emphasizes a reason or a cause
ては (tewa)Expresses repetition of an action
に (ni)Joins two or more nouns to indicate a list of items
に (ni)Connects two or more items to indicate a matching or a contrast
にしては (ni shite wa)Indicates a generally agreed upon standard
にとって (ni totte)Indicates an effect or value of a person or thing
について (ni tsuite)“about”, “concerning” something or someone
とも…とも (tomo… tomo)“can’t say whether… or…”
が (ga)“even if”, “whether… or not”
は (wa)Emphasizes contrasting elements
として (toshite)Indicates status, capacity or function
として (toshite)Provides emphasis in a negative sentence
ばかりでなく(bakari de naku)“not only… but also”
だけ (dake) used to express “not only…but also”
のみ (nomi)used to express “not only…but also”
なり (nari)“as soon as”
146がはやいか (ga hayai ka)“as soon as”
やいなや (ya ina ya)“as soon as”
かないうちに (ka nai uchi ni)“no sooner had”, “hardly had”
ばかり (bakari)Indicates the only action left to do
ばかりに (bakari ni)Emphasizes a reason or cause
すら (sura)Emphasizes in the meaning of “even”
など (nado)Expresses a humble attitude towards an item
とも (tomo)“no matter what”, “even if”
ともあろうひと (tomo aroo hito)To express that someone did something not to be expected
どころか (dokoro ka)“far from”, “not to mention”
だけに (dake ni)Indicates a cause or reason
までもない (made mo nai)“there is no need to…”
ものの (mono no)“but” or “although”
ところで (tokoro de)“even if”
けれども (keredomo)Connects 2 sentences meaning “but” or “although”
けれども (keredomo)Indicates a preliminary remark
が (ga)Used to soften a statement or refusal
けれども (keredomo)Indicates a desire
ね (ne)At the end of a sentence to confirm a statement
ね (ne)At the end of a sentence to soften a request or suggestion
ね (ne)At the end of a sentence to indicate a reason or cause
ねえ (nee)At the end of a sentence to indicate emotion
よ (yo)At the end of a sentence to state a strong conviction
よ (yo)At the end of a sentence to articulate a request or suggestion
かしら (kashira)At the end of a sentence to express uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by women
かな (kana)At the end of a sentence to express uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by men
な (na)At the end of a sentence and used by men to confirm a statement
な (na)At the end of a sentence to express a prohibition, used by men
なあ (naa)At the end of a sentence to express emotion, used by men
なあ (naa)At the end of a sentence to express a desire
の (no)At the end of a sentence to express a question or soften a command, used by women
わ (wa)At the end of a sentence to soften a statement, used by women
さ (sa)At the end of a sentence to indicate slight emphasis, used by men
こと (koto)At the end of a sentence to indicate emotion, used by women
こと (koto)At the end of a sentence to express a suggestion or invitation, used by women
もの (mono)At the end of a sentence to express a reason or excuse
とも (tomo)At the end of a sentence to express an assertion
ものか (monoka)At the end of a sentence to express a negative determination, used by men
や (ya)At the end of a sentence to soften a statement, request or suggestion, used by men
たら (tara)At the end of a sentence to indicate a suggestion or proposal
やら (yara)At the end of a sentence to indicate a rhetorical question with a negative implication
ぜ (ze)At the end of a sentence to add for to sentence, used by men
ぞ (zo)At the end of a sentence to add force to a sentence or to express a question to oneself
