Particles (1)
ใฏ
The ใฏ particle indicates the topic of a sentence. Usually translated by โas forโ.
Example
็งใฏใใฉใณในไบบใงใใ I am French (As for me, I am French).
When a sentence is negative, ใฏ is usually used instead of ใ and ใ.
Example
่ใฏ้ฃในใพใใใ I donโt eat meat.
When used with a noun that is a number or an amount, it takes the meaning of โat leastโ or โaroundโ. Can be mixed with ใใใ.
Example
ๆฏ้ฑ๏ผๅใฏๆ ็ป้คจใซ่กใใพใใ I go to the cinema at least twice a week.
ใ
The ใ particle indicates the subject of a sentence.
Example
้ป่ปใๅฅฝใใงใใ I like trains.
It is also used for making a contrast.
Example
้ป่ปใฏๅฅฝใใงใใใใในใฏๅฅฝใใใใชใใ I like trains, but I donโt like buses.
In a noun modifying clause, ใฏ becomes ใ.
Example
ๅฝผใฏใฉใกใใไฝใ He made ramen.
ๅฝผใไฝใฃใใฉใกใใฏใใใใใงใใ The ramen he made is delicious.
Difference between ใฏ and ใ
Usually, they can be used in the same sentence, but have a nuanced meaning based on the context.
Examples
็งใฏใใฉใณในไบบใงใใ ็งใใใฉใณในไบบใงใใ I am French.
Both sentences mean the same thing. But:
- In the first sentence with ใฏ, what is highlighted is that the speaker is French.
- In the second sentence with ใ, what is highlighted is that the French person is the speaker. The first sentence would most likely be the answer to โwhere are you from?โ, while the second sentence would be the answer to โwho is French?โ. ใ highlights the information where the focus is wanted.
ใ
This particle is used for the target of the action of a verb.
Examples
ใฑใผใญใไฝใใ I prepare a cake.
ใซ
This particle has multiple meanings.
- A place of existence.
Example
ไผ็คพใฏๆฑไบฌใซใใใพใใ The company is in Tokyo.
- A point in time.
Example
ๆฏๆฅ๏ผ๏ผๆใซๅฏใพใใ I sleep at 12:00 everyday.
- A direction towards whom an action is directed. For example: meeting a person, phoning to someone, riding a transport, writing on something, sitting on something, etc.
Example
ๆฅๆฌใซไฝใใงใใพใใ I live in Japan.
ใซใปใธ
ใซ and ใธ are used to indicate a direction of movement with verbs like ่กใ, ใใ, and ๅธฐใ.
Example
ๆฅๆฌใธ่กใใพใใ ๆฅๆฌใซ่กใใพใใ Iโm going to Japan.
ใง
This particle can indicate several things.
- A place where the action is done.
Example
ๅณๆธ้คจใงๆฌใ่ชญใฟใพใใใ I read a book in the library.
- The use of something
Example
ใใใดใคใงๆธใใฆใใ ใใใ Please write with a pencil.
- The use of ingredients or materials
Example
ใฟใณใงใใ็ผใใไฝใใ I prepare takoyaki with octopus.
- Numbers or volume for multiple objects.
Example
ๆฌใ๏ผๅใง่ฒทใฃใใ I bought 5 books.
- A noun that is the cause of something.
Example
ใใใงไผใฟใพใใใ I took the day off because of a cold.
- A mode of transportation.
Example
ไผๆใซ้ป่ปใง่กใฃใใ I went on holiday by train.
ใฎ
This particle indicates possession.
Example
็งใฎใใผใซใ My ball.
ใ
This particle means โalsoโ.
Example
ๆฅๆฌๆ็ใ้ๅฝๆ็ใ้ฃในใพใใ I eat Japanese and Korean food.
The particles ใฏ, ใ and ใ change to ใ.
Example
็งใฏไธญๅฝ่ชใ่ฉฑใใพใใ I can also speak Chinese.
In other cases, it can be combined with other particles: ใซ, ใง, ใธ, ใจ, ใใ.
Example
ๅคง้ชใซใ่กใใใใ I also want to go to Osaka.
Another meaning of this particle can be found when combined with words like ไฝ, ่ชฐ, or ใฉใ (what, who, where). It means nothing, nobody and nowhere. It indicates the absence.
Example
A: ๆจๆฅใฉใใใธ่กใฃใ๏ผ B: ใใใใใฉใใธใ่กใใชใใฃใใ A: Did you go somewhere yesterday? B: No, I didnโt go anywhere.
Used with a number or a time, it means โas many asโ or โnearlyโ.
Example
2ๆ้ใๅพ ใฃใฆใใพใใใ I have waited for nearly 2 hours.