は vs. が

は vs. が
Conceptual
understanding
Before starting, can you explain...
• The difference between “have to” and “must”?
• People say, “It can possibly be…” but aren’t “It
can be…” and “It’s possible to be…” the same
meaning, anyway? Does it mean it’s
redundant?”
Questions about は vs. が are something
similar to these questions, so, don’t
expect perfect explanations!
First...
• In many cases, both が and は are grammatically acceptable to use,
but nuance will be different.
When speakers/writers choose either は or が over the other one, they
go through one of those two questions:
1. Either “New information” or “Specification/Comparison”
2. Either “Subjective view/passive” or “Objective/Natural Law”
Those two aspects are NOT just one another, but probability for each
aspect is co-existing, and it is up to the analysis of context for which
aspect to take. For more details click here
Conceptual Guidance
が is
• Specific
• Subjective
• Passive
は is more like
• Comparison
• Objective
• Natural Law
First, we will study “New information” vs.
“Comparison/Specification” (Underlined and bolded concept)
New information vs.
Specification/Comparison
• To identify “New information” or not, we need to focus on
verbs.
1. Verbs about existence, such as ある and いる
2. Other verbs
は
が
Verbs about
existence
Comparison
New
information
Other verbs
New
information
Specification
Verbs about Existence
• …がある/いる sounds that the opponent in
the conversation did not know anything
about the subject.
• …はある/いる sounds that the opponent in
the conversation knew that something is
there, but not sure what it is.
Verbs about existence
Examples
• きいろいはながあります(=There is a yellow
flower.) sounds like completely new information
to listeners.
• きいろいはなはあります sounds that the listener
already knew there was some kind of colored
flower, but didn’t know what colored flower it was.
The listener may even think “how about red
flower, then?”
Verbs about existence
Examples (cont’)
• おじいさんがいました(=There was an old
guy.) is usually knew information to
listeners or readers.
• おじいさんはいました sort of raises a
question into listener’s mind, “おばあさん
は?”(=how about old lady, was she with
him or what?)
Other verbs with は
• If が is used with other verbs, such as たなかさん
はしゃちょうです(=Mr./Mrs. Tanaka is a/the
president.), this is more likely to be completely
new information to listeners/ readers.
• Similarly, わたしはいきます(=I’m going…
[somewhere]), sounds like listeners/ readers
didn’t even know that someone was going
somewhere.
Other verbs with が
• Contrary, たなかさんがしゃちょうです is more
likely to be that listeners/ readers know someone
was president, but didn’t know who the person
was.
• Similarly, わたしがいきます sounds listeners/
readers already knew someone was going, but
didn’t know who it was.
The cases, we only use が -1
• For WH- questions, such as “who,” “where,” “when,” etc.,
we’re more likely to use が, not は.
because we need to “specify” and questioners can guess
answers to those types of questions. (not completely
unexpected, new information)
• Examples:
いつがいいですか(=When is convenient for you?)
３じがいいです (3 o’clock is good.)
だれがきますか (Who is coming?)
トムさんがきます (Tom is coming.)
The cases, we only use が -2
• Similarly, in a relative clause, we only use が,
but not は., even if verbs are about existence
because the purpose of using relative clause is
to give more information(=“specify.”)
• Example:
これはわたしがつくったクッキーです(=This is the cookie
that I made.)
あなたがいたいえ(the house where you were)
For instance if you are in a tour...
• The tour conductor will use ここはとしょかんです
(=This is the library) if you didn’t even know that
there was a library until this moment.
• The tour conductor will say ここがとしょかんです if
members in the tour knew there was a library
somewhere in the tour. For instance, there might
be a brief orientation before the tour started.
Examples...
• This is Ms. Tanaka (for introducing to other
people) is こちらはたなかさんです
because this must be new information and
“こちらは” sounds there are at least one
more person. (こちら、あちら、そちら etc.)
Therefore, this is also “comparison.”
More examples...
• I want to eat Sushi for lunch is ひるごはん
はすしがいいです
because this is “in terms of ‘lunch,’” so
there is comparison behind, like “あさごは
ん”(=breakfast) or “ばんごはん”
(=supper/dinner).
For が in this example sentence, click here.
However...
Now let’s think about those cases;
• とつぜん、こばやしさんがいえにきました (=Suddenly, Mr.
Kobayashi came to the house.)
Since it says, “suddenly,” this must be “new information”
but this is not は.
• きせきがおこった (=A miracle happened.)
Since miracle is something we don’t expect to happen, this
must be “new information,” but this is not は.
However... (cont’)
• りょうりができる (=I can cook.)
Even if this is completely new information, we can still use が.
• あめがふっています (It is raining.)
Even if this is new information, we are less likely to use は, here.
• あかちゃんがうまれました (=A baby was born.)
In general, context tells listeners that we are talking about human
species or a certain animal. (We don’t even think a puppy will come
out from our mom!). So there shouldn’t be any need to “specify,” but
we usually use が.
Welcome to the “real word”
• In the listed examples, the first aspect, “New information vs.
Comparison/Specification” doesn’t seem to fit. So, we need to think
about the second aspect, “Subjective view/passive vs.
Objective/Natural Law.” (Underlined and bolded concept)
が is
• Specific (already covered)
• Subjective
• Passive
は is more like
• Comparison (already covered)
• Objective
• Natural Law (including “supposed to be”)
Subjective view/passive vs.
Objective/Natural Law
• First, the
verbs in those examples are
Intransitive verbs
• In short, “Intransitive verbs” are actions or
situations happen/keep going without
speaker’s control or effort.
Caution:
Here, we exclude be-verbs and verbs about existence.
Technically...
• Verbs other than intransitive verbs can also be the following cases.
For instance, if subjects are non-living things, such as concepts and
materials, and out of speaker’s/writer’s control, it can also be a case.
For example:
そらがあおい vs. そらはあおい(=The sky is blue)
We human species don’t have control to change the color of the sky
or even the condition of sky. Therefore, based on the second
concept, “Subjective view/Passive vs. Objective/Natural law,” そらが
あおい is about “specific” sky and そらはあおい is more like “as it is
supposed to be” or “sky is (always) blue (due to “Natural law”).
• It is a certainly difficult concept about how much we should apply
this concept to other types of verbs, and this is why, “probability for
each aspect is co-existing”
To understand the conceptual
differences between は and が…
Think about the relationship between the speaker/writer and the
information.
• Is the speaker/writer taking “passive’ role in the information?
(Passive)
• Can the speaker/writer change the situation, or does it happen by
itself? (Natural Law)
• Is the speaker/writer thinking the situation is supposed to be?
(Natural Law)
• Is the speaker/writer thinking about “one situation” or “in general”?
(Subjective vs. Objective/Natural Law)
Important Note!
• In the question form, if speaker/writer
thinks that there is equal chance to be a
certain situation or not, we use は
because fifty-fifty chance based on
“Objective” concept.
が - Passive vs. は - Comparison
• If the speaker is involved in the information and taking
“passive” role, we use が.
• Example:
とつぜん、こばやしさんがいえにきました
Since it says, “came,” he/she came to Speaker’s place. So, you are
involved in the story. Also, unless he told you in advance, there is no
way to stop him from coming. This means you are taking “Passive”
role.
• If が is replaced by は, in this sentence, it has more
meaning of “Comparison,” and listeners expect that
there will be information if others come of not.
が - Passive vs. は - Comparison
• We usually don’t say, はやしさんがこなかった、but
say こばやしさんはこなかった even if there is no
“Comparison.”
because if Mr. Kobayashi didn’t come, the
speaker is NOT involved in the information.
Of course, when we need to “specify”
Kobayashi, we still use が for this case.
が –Subjective vs. は Natural Law
• When the subject is a non-living thing, we are more likely to use が
to identify “Specific” case, unless we are talking about the “Natural
law” itself (=は).
• Example:
きせきがおこった vs.きせきはおこった
The first sentence talks about one specific miracle, and ignores all
the other miracles that happened or imaginable. (=Subjective) Also,
since this is “subjective,” the speaker is more likely to have some
kind of emotion, such as “surprised,” “glad,” “frustrated,” etc.
Needless to say, miracle is something that we can’t stop from
happening.
On the other hand, the second sentence includes the implication, “It
happened as it was supposed to be happed”(=Natural Law) or the
speaker’s expectation, (NOT hope) to be happened.
Verbs about condition
• Example:
あめがふっています vs.あめはふっています
Falling rain is something we can’t “stop,” rather it
happens by itself, so it is “Passive.” Also, here the
speaker is talking about raining on a “Specific”
day. Since it is “Passive” and “Subjective,” there
is more likely to have influence on the
speaker/writer, such as mood and trouble.
は, instead, is used for talking about “Natural Law”
or in comparison to other things from the sky, such
as snow.
が –Subjective vs. は Natural Law
• Example:
あかちゃんがうまれました vs.あかちゃんはうまれました
In general, a baby comes out from his/her mom’s body
by him/herself. So it is “Passive.” Also, here the speaker
is talking about a “Specific” baby.
は, instead, means the baby was born as it was
supposed to be. (=Natural Law)
Basic interpretation
• Example:
りょうりができる vs. りょうりはできる
It is possible to interpret this case with the basic
definition of は vs. が, because we usually need to
“specify” what we “can do” (=が) Also, obviously
there are things we “can’t do.” so when we
mention things “can do” and “can’t do,” we need
は.
Besides, we can also interpret…
Conceptual Interpretation
• Example:
りょうりができる vs. りょうりはできる
“Capability” is something given, beyond effort we can
make. Based on this concept, capability is more
“Passive,” therefore, we use が for each case unless we
compare things we “can do” and “can’t do” (=は).
The similar concept can apply to
りょうりがすきです vs. りょうりはすきです

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