Japanese Particle Explanation

[megumi]

Japanese Particle Explanation

Can somebody explain the difference between が and を as particles?

My Japanese teacher somewhat failed to explain the difference in class.

Explanation on the various other particles would be awesome as well.

Thanks in advance. ^^

 

[Zodiac]

Okay, let's see...　が is a subject marker (e.g. 君が止める means "you will stop" or "you stop"; I forget which)

while を is an object marker (e.g. 僕を放して means "let me go").

What's confusing to me is that は (pronounced わ) is also a subject marker (a "topic marker", if you will; I don't understand the difference), and is the de-facto "to be" verb. (e.g. 私は隆です means "I am 'ryuu'".)

But don't take my word for it. I haven't formally studied Japanese; I only know the bit I do from an Internet resource.

 

[megumi]

Hm... Finals for my Japanese class is next week...

Also, what dictates the usage of a wa-ga sentance structure? My friend asked that (due to me pointing out a particle-related grammar mistake in a sentence she wrote), but I couldn't exactly come up with an answer.

The textbook and the teacher just has been teaching us sentences that use those particles, though never exactly explaining that the particles actually represent, the difference and when to use them. Probably the only one that was properly explained was "はwa". Other than that, yeah...

Actually, in the sentence "私は隆です。" "desu" is actually the "to be" verb. "wa" still serves are the subject/topic marker.

 

[Zodiac]

Actually, in the sentence "私は隆です。" "desu" is actually the "to be" verb. "wa" still serves are the subject/topic marker.

I thought "desu" was strictly a politeness thing, because "私は隆" is completely valid, meaning "I am ryuu". (At least to my knowledge. It's been used a lot of times.) My friend who knows Japanese told me the same thing, that "desu" meant "to be".

I believe "ga" can be used in sentences where there is more than one subject.

 

[megumi]

"私は隆" is valid simply because the Japanese tends to drop commonly used words (or replacing them with shortened version). Therefore, it seems as if "wa" is serving as the verb though the verb is simply "invisible".

 

[Zodiac]

"私は隆" is valid simply because the Japanese tends to drop commonly used words (or replacing them with shortened version). Therefore, it seems as if "wa" is serving as the verb though the verb is simply "invisible".

...I see. But doesn't "desu" serve as a politeness thing? It's really confusing.

 

[megumi]

...I see. But doesn't "desu" serve as a politeness thing? It's really confusing.

Well, more formality. Because in general "casual" talk, "desu" is often dropped. While when talking formally, they try to keep all the words in. Also full sentences also occur towards foreigners (who probably only learned formal, full sentences and it's more understandable). So in a way, yes, it's a politeness thing.

 

[Zodiac]

So in a way, yes, it's a politeness thing.

I see. So really, "desu" just means "to be"? Weird. Very weird.

 

[megumi]

Weird. Very weird.

Different languages are different.

 

[Zodiac]

Different languages are different.

I know that, I just think it's weird anyway.

 

[Crush]

Can somebody explain the difference between が and を as particles?

わたしが。。。。。　やりました。。。。。
I Did It.....

わたしを。。。。。いじめないで。。。。。
Don't Bully Me

 

[megumi]

"What dictates the usage of a wa-ga sentance structure?" (Quoted directly from a classmate)

Or more like, what cases would that particular structure occur?