► 副助詞
は [わ] meaning: subject rank: 1
☆ お母さんは？ ⇨ Where is mom? What about mom?
☆ それは私は決められない ⇨ I cannot decide that. (Somebody else should)
☆ 彼はイタリア人だ ⇨ He is an Italian
☆ 彼女の目は青い ⇨ Her eyes are blue
☆ 彼女の脚は長い ⇨ Her legs are long
☆ 彼女はパーティーに来なかった ⇨ She didn’t come to the party (unlike others)
☆ 彼女は三児の母親だ ⇨ She is a mother of three children
☆ 熱は有るが、お腹は痛くない ⇨ I have a fever, but my stomach doesn’t hurt
☆ 私の家は小さい ⇨ My house is small
☆ 私はそうは思わない ⇨ I don’t think so (unlike others)
☆ 君は間違っている ⇨ You are wrong (☛ Note the difference with “君が間違っている” which emphasizes “it is you who is wrong”)
► 格助詞
が [が] meaning: subject rank: 1
☆ お腹が痛い ⇨ My stomach hurts
☆ それはお前が決めることではない ⇨ It is not something you decide
☆ それは私がやっておきます ⇨ I will take care of it
☆ 外で犬が吠えている ⇨ A dog is barking outside
☆ 彼の作品は想像力が欠けている ⇨ Imagination is lacking in his work
☆ 彼女は脚が長い ⇨ With her legs are long. She has long legs
☆ 君が間違っている ⇨ It is you who is wrong (☛ Note the difference with “君は間違っている” which just says “you are wrong”)
に [に] meaning: subject rank: 1
☆ あいつに分かって堪るか ⇨ There is no way he could understand it (☛ Only with can-do verbs)
☆ それを子供にも分かるように説明するのは難しい ⇨ It is difficult to explain it so that even children can understand (☛ Only with can-do verbs)
☆ 彼に出来るのなら私にも出来る ⇨ If he can do it, the I can do it too (☛ Only with can-do verbs)
☆ 先生に私の料理を試して頂きたい ⇨ I’d like the master to try out my food (☛ With do-for-me verbs in a sub-clause)
☆ 同僚に仕事を替わってもらった ⇨ I had my co-worker substitute for me. (☛ With do-for-me verbs in a sub-clause)
☆ 彼にこの責任は取ってもらう ⇨ We will have him take the responsibility for this (☛ With do-for-me verbs in a sub-clause)
に [に] [には] [に＋は] meaning: subject rank: 1
☆ 犬には聞こえるが人間には聞こえない音 ⇨ Sound dogs can hear but humans can’t (☛ Only with can-do verbs)
の [の] meaning: subject rank: 2
☆ 皆ワールドカップの始まるのを楽しみにしている ⇨ Everybody is looking forward to the World Cup to begin (☛ Used only in a sub-clause of a sentence. が can always substitute の, but の cannot replace が in main clause)
☆ 私は御飯の炊けるのを待っている ⇨ I am waiting for the rice to be cooked (☛ Used only in a sub-clause of a sentence. が can always substitute の, but の cannot replace が in main clause)
☆ 私は母のくれた指輪をいつもしている ⇨ I always wear the ring my mother gave me (☛ Used only in a sub-clause of a sentence. が can always substitute の, but の cannot replace が in main clause)
とは [とわ] [とは～ものだ] [と＋は] [liter] meaning: subject rank: 3
☆ 人生とは儚いものだ ⇨ Life is such a fleeting thing
☆ 人間とは浅ましいものだ ⇨ Humans are such shallow creatures