Marking the subject with が
Grammar: Particles
が marks the subject of a clause. It marks the doer of an action in a verb-ending clause, what is being defined in a noun-ending clause, or what is being described in an adjective-ending clause.
Identifying the Subject
が is used when the sentence identifies who or what the predicate applies to.
For a clause ending in a verb, が identifies who or what is performing the action.
- 私が作りました。
- I made it.
This says that something was made, but it also picks out 私 as the person who made it. For that reason, が is common in answers to “who?” or “what?” questions.
- 誰が電話した？
Who called?
- 兄が電話した。
- My older brother called.
Nishikata and Takagi meet up at the library to study. Although it’s hot out, and Nishikata ran to make it to the library on time, he refuses to remove his sweater.
- 西片:
- 「今日のＴシャツは… 母さんが買ってきたなんかダサイやつ！！」
- “Today's T-shirt is...some dorky thing my mom bought me!!”
Nishikana’s mother is identified as the subject, the one who bought the shirt.
When a clause ends in a noun, が identifies who or what is being defined.
- これが私の傘です。
This is my umbrella.
- 姉が犯人だ。
- My older sister is the culprit.
The noun after が gives the definition, and が picks out which person or thing that definition applies to. Yukari stops by the preschool where Mina works, just as Takagi is there picking up her daughter. Yukari compares her life with theirs.
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Yukari identifies Mina’s cooking as the subject, defining it as her strong point.
And when a clause ends in an adjective, が identifies who or what is being described.
- 天気がいいね。
The weather is nice, isn’t it?
- 声が大きいよ。
- Your voice is loud.
Kei’ichi is excited to spend four days at the beach with his university automobile club and Belldandy. His mood changes when he hears Sayoko call out to him.
- 螢一:
- 「田宮先輩まさか美術部と合同でやるんじゃないでしょうね」
- “Tamiya, don't tell me we're doing this with the art club!”
- 田宮:
- 「ん……ああ。自動車部を題材にしたいっていうから…… それに女の子がいた方が嬉しい…」
- “It's because they said they wanted to use the automobile club as a subject... Additionally, I'm happier having girls here.”
Having girls girls around (versus not) is identified as the subject being described as pleasant.
Existence
With ある and いる, が marks the thing that exists.
- 庭に犬がいる。
There is a dog in the yard.
- 明日、会議がある。
- There is a meeting tomorrow.
This use introduces the existing thing into the conversation. The place or time is often marked separately with に. Momoko notices the trio Colors pestering a television cameraman. She intervenes to help him, telling the girls that she is heading to her family’s bakery to have taste-testing of her new type of rice ball.
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State of Things
Some predicates describe a state rather than a direct action. In many of these sentences, が marks the thing involved in that state.
- 妹は魚が好きだ。
- My younger sister likes fish.
Literal: For my sister, fish is liked.
- 窓から海が見える。
- The ocean is visible from the window.
Literal: From the window, the sea is visible。
- 漢字が読める。
- I can read kanji.
- (For me), kanji is readable.
In English, these may look like objects, but in Japanese they are often treated as the subject of the state: the fish is liked, the ocean is visible, and the kanji is readable. After Yousuke finishes moving his belongings into his new home with the help of his friend Jumbo, Jumbo offers to pick up some gifts for Yousuke to give his new neighbors when he goes around the neighborhood to introduce himself.
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Pudding is in the state of being liked by Jumbo.
が and は
Both が and は can appear near the beginning of a sentence, but they do different jobs.
- 田中さんが先生です。
Tanaka is the teacher.
- 田中さんは先生です。
- As for Tanaka, he is a teacher.
The が sentence answers “who is the teacher?” The は sentence makes Tanaka the topic and then comments on him. This difference is one of the most important uses of the two particles.Related Grammar
Supplemental Examples
