~は~が

~は~が Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Structure

Essential Meaning: As for X, it is is Y / Speaking of X, it is Y

Construction: 

• (Topic + は) + (Subject + が) + Predicate
  • E.g. 彼かれは足あしが長ながい [As for him, his legs are long]

Notes:

• ~は~が is a basic Japanese sentence structure (along with the ~は~だ structure). In the construction XはYがZ, Y and Z constitute a clause in which Y is the subject (marked by the subject marker が) and Z is the predicate (e.g. 足あしが長ながい [The legs are long] or 天気てんきが寒さむい [The weather is cold]). The YがZ clause is then used to describe some attribute or quality of the topic X (which is marked by the topic marker は). Although this construction may sound awkward when translated into English, it is an extremely common structure in Japanese and therefore very important to understand.
  • E.g. マイクは足あしが長ながい。[As for Mike, his legs are long.]
  • E.g コロラド州しゅうは天気てんきが寒さむい。[Speaking of Colorado, the weather is cold.]

• There are 3 basic situations in which the the XはYが Z construction is used:
  • (1) X is a human and YがZ expresses X’s physical or mental state, ability, or desire.
    • E.g. 私わたしは英語えいごが分わかる。[As for me, I understand Japanese.] In this example, the ability to speak English describes the subject’s ability.
    • E.g. たかしはテニスが上手じょうずだ。[As for Takashi, he’s good at tennis.] In this example, being good at tennis describes Takashi’s ability.
    • E.g. 私わたしはボーイフレンドが欲ほしい。[As for me, I want a boyfriend.] In this example, wanting a boyfriend describes the subject’s desire.
  • (2) Y is a part of X, and Z expresses something about Y, which in turn expresses something about X.
    • E.g. 花子はなこは目めがきれいだ。[As for Hanako, her eyes are beautiful.] In this example, prettiness is a quality of the eyes, and pretty eyes is in turn a quality of Hanako.
    • E.g. 像ぞうは鼻はなが長ながい。[As for elephants, their trunks are long.] In this example, longness is a quality of the trunk, and long trunks is in turn a quality of elephants.
    • E.g. 私わたしはお腹なかがすいた。[As for me, my stomach is empty.] In this example, being empty is a quality of the stomach, and an empty stomach is in turn a quality of the subject.
    • E.g. ミラーさんは背せが高たかい。[As for Mira-san, her stature is tall.] In this example, tallness is a quality of the stature, and a tall stature is in turn a quality of Mira-san.
    • E.g. 日本にほんはステーキが高たかい。[As for Japan, the steaks are expensive.] In this example, expensiveness is a quality of the steaks, and expensive steaks are in turn a quality of Japan.
  • (3) Y belongs to the category of X, and Z expresses something about Y.
    • E.g. 辞書じしょはウェブスターがいい。[Speaking of dictionaries, Webster’s is good.] In this example, Webster’s belongs to the category of dictionaries, and Webster’s happens to be a good one.
    • E.g. 海うみは日本海にほんかいがきれいだ。[Speaking of seas, the Sea of Japan is pretty.] In this example, the Sea of Japan belongs to the category of seas, and the Sea of Japan happens to be a pretty one.
    • E.g. 日本にほんの野球やきゅうはどこが強つよいですか。[Speaking of Japanese baseball, which team is strong?] In this example, the category of Japanese baseball is introduced, and the speaker wants to know which member of this category (i.e. which team) is the strongest.

• When referring to the speaker’s own emotions, abilities, et cetera, the topic can typically be omitted.
  • E.g. (私わたしは)英語えいごが分わかる。[I can understand Japanese.]

• Certain verbs and adjectives idiomatically require the ~は~が construction. The following expressions generally require the ~は~が construction.
  • Words of Ability:
    • わかる [To understand]
      • E.g. 日本語にほんごが分わかる。[I can understand Japanese.]
    • できる [To be able]
      • E.g. けん玉だまができる。[I can use a kendama.]
    • られる [Potential verb ending]
      • E.g. 刺身さしみが食たべられる。[I can eat sashimi.]
    • 見みえる [To be visible]
      • E.g. 富士山ふじさんが見みえる。[I can see Fuji-san.]
    • 聞きこえる [To be audible]
      • E.g. 声こえが聞きこえる。[I can hear voices.]
    • 上手じょうずだ [To be good at]
      • E.g. テニスが上手じょうずだ。[I’m good at tennis.]
    • 下手へただ [To be bad at]
      • E.g. テニスが下手へただ。[I’m bad at tennis.]
    • 得意とくいだ [To be one’s strength]
      • E.g. テニスが得意とくいだ。[Tennis is a strength for me.]
    • 苦手にがてだ [To be one’s weakness]
      • E.g. テニスが苦手にがてだ。[Tennis is a weakness for me.]
  • Words of Desire / Need:
    • 欲ほしい [To want]
      • E.g. パソコンが欲ほしい。[I want a computer.]
    • ~たい [To want to]
      • E.g. 刺身さしみが食たべたい。[I want to eat sashimi.]
    • いる [To exist]
      • E.g. 犬いぬがいる。[There is a dog.]
    • 必要ひつようだ [To be necessary]
      • E.g. 宿題しゅくだいをするのが必要ひつようだ。[Doing homework is necessary.]
  • Words of Fondness:
    • 好すきだ [To like]
      • E.g. テニスが好すきだ。[I like tennis.]
    • 嫌きらいだ [To dislike]
      • E.g. テニスが嫌きらいだ。[I dislike tennis.]
  • Words of Emotion:
    • 恥はずかしい [Embarrassing]
      • E.g. 発表はっぴょうが恥はずかしい。[Presentations are embarrassing.]
    • 懐なつかしい [Nostalgic]
      • E.g. 小学しょうがくが懐なつかしい。[Elementary school is nostalgic.]
    • にくらしい [Detestable]
      • E.g. あの国くにがにくらしい。[That country is detestable.]
    • おそろしい [Terrifying]
      • E.g. あの国くにがおそろしい。[That country is terrifying.]
    • こわい [Scary]
      • E.g. 犬いぬがこわい。[Dogs are scary.]
    • うらやましい [Enviable]
      • E.g. 彼かれがPS5を持もっているのがうらやましい。[I’m jealous that he has a PS5.]
    • くやしい [Frustrating]
      • E.g. 負まけるのがくやしい。[Losing is frustrating.]

Example Sentences:

私わたしは英語えいごが分わかる。[I can understand English.]

花子はなこは目めがきれいだ。[As for Hanako, her eyes are pretty.]

辞書じしょはウエブスターがいい。[Speaking of dictionaries, Webster’s is good.]

たかしはテニスが上手じょうずだ。[As for Takashi, he’s good at tennis.]

私わたしはボーイフレンドが欲ほしい。[As for me, I want a boyfriend.]

僕ぼくはフットボールが好すきだ。[As for me, I like football.]

像ぞうは鼻はなが長ながい。[As for elephants, their trunks are long.]

私わたしはお腹なかがすいた。[As for me, my stomach is empty.]

ミラーさんは背せが高たかい。[As for Mira-san, her stature is tall.]

日本にほんはステーキが高たかい。[As for Japan, the steaks are expensive.]

海うみは日本海にほんかいがきれいだ。[Speaking of seas, the Sea of Japan is pretty.]

日本にほんの野球やきゅうはどこが強つよいですか。[Speaking of Japanese baseball, which team is strong?]

WILD Examples:

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