List of all Particles
- JLPT Kanji Mnemonics
- Aug 17
- 8 min read

Japanese particles, or joshi (助詞) in Japanese, are one of the most fundamental and unique aspects of the language's grammar. They are short, uninflected words that follow other words or phrases to show their grammatical function in a sentence.
Unlike in English, where word order largely determines the role of a word (e.g., "The cat chased the mouse"), Japanese uses particles to mark a word's function (e.g., "Cat-ga mouse-o chased"). This allows for a great deal of flexibility in word order, as the particles always clarify a word's role, regardless of its position in the sentence.
Here is a list of all the Japanese particles (which you could use as a mini dictionary). You can also download the list in the link below:
LIST OF JAPANESE PARTICLES
Particles |
が (ga) Connects two sentences with the meaning “but…” |
が (ga) Indicates the subject of a relative clause |
が (ga) Indicates the subject of subordinate clause when it is different from the subject of the main clause |
が (ga) Used to soften a statement or refusal |
か (ka) Indicates uncertainty about a state or reason |
か (ka) Indicates uncertainty about something |
か (ka) someone, something |
かしら (kashira) At the end of a sentence to express uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by women |
かな (kana) At the end of a sentence to express uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by men |
かないうちに (ka nai uchi ni) “no sooner had”, “hardly had” |
がはやいか (ga hayai ka) “as soon as” |
から (kara) Indicates a source such as a giver, a cause or material |
から (kara) Indicates a starting point in time or place |
から (kara) Used as a conjunction and indicates a cause or reason |
きり (kiri) Indicates the last time a certain incident occured |
くらい (kurai) Indicates an approximate amount |
けれども (keredomo) Connects 2 sentences meaning “but” or “although” |
けれども (keredomo) Indicates a desire |
けれども (keredomo) Indicates a preliminary remark |
こそ (koso) Emphasizes a reason or a cause |
こそ (koso) Emphasizes the word preceding it |
こと (koto) At the end of a sentence to indicate emotion, used by women |
さえ (sae) “even”, used to emphasize |
さえ (sae) “if only” or “as long as” |
し (shi) Used as a conjunction indicating a reason |
しか (shika) Used with a negative verb to indicate limits on conditions or quantities meaning “only” |
すら (sura) Emphasizes in the meaning of “even” |
ぜ (ze) At the end of a sentence to add for to sentence, used by men |
だけ (dake) “the more… the more…” |
だけ (dake) Indicates a limit on an action or state |
だけ (dake) Indicates a limit on things or amounts |
だけ (dake) used to express “not only…but also” |
だけに (dake ni) Indicates a cause or reason |
だの (dano) Indicates a pair of opposite actions or states |
だの (dano) Indicates two or more items or actions of a longer list (similar to toka とか) |
たら (tara) Used as a conjunction, indicates a supposition or condition |
たり (tari) Indicates actions or states that alternate |
たり (tari) List of two or more actions in no particular sequence |
で (de) Indicates a cause or a reason |
で (de) Indicates a limit or scope |
で (de) Indicates a state / condition of something |
で (de) Indicates the location of an action |
で (de) Indicates the time of completion or expiration of something |
で (de) Limits numbers |
でも (demo) Following a noun, means “or something like this” |
でも (demo) Indicates emphasis |
でも (demo) Indicates two or more items as an example of a larger list |
でも (demo) Together with an interrogative word it means “anything”, “anyone”, any time” |
ても (temo) Indicates an approximate limit with the meaning of “at the most” |
と (to) “about to do something”, “trying to do something” |
と (to) “even if…”, “whether… or not” |
と (to) Indicates a comparison |
と (to) Indicates a condition that results in an inevitable outcome |
と (to) Used when quoting someone |
と いう (to iu) Indicates the name of something |
とか (toka) “something like” |
とか (toka) Indicates that a list of two ore more things or actions is not exhaustive |
ところ (tokoro) Used as a conjunction to indicate a condition that brings about a discovery |
どころか (dokoro ka) “far from”, “not to mention” |
ところで (tokoro de) “even if” |
として (toshite) Indicates status, capacity or function |
として (toshite) Provides emphasis in a negative sentence |
とも (tomo) “no matter what”, “even if” |
とも (tomo) Indicates an approximate maximum or minimum |
とも (tomo) Indicates inclusion |
とも (tomo) Used with numbers and counters to mean “both” or “all” |
とも…とも (tomo… tomo) “can’t say whether… or…” |
ともあろうひと (tomo aroo hito) To express that someone did something not to be expected |
な (na) At the end of a sentence and used by men to confirm a statement |
なあ (naa) At the end of a sentence to express emotion, used by men |
ながら (nagara) “although”, “though”, “but” |
ながら (nagara) Indicates that an action is happening simultaneously |
など (nado) Expresses a humble attitude towards an item |
など (nado) Indicates examples |
など (nado) Used with や (ya) to partially list up multiple items |
なら (nara) Indicates a topics and is used as an alternative to wa (No.1) |
なり (nari) “anything”, “anyone”, “any time” |
なり (nari) “as soon as” |
に (ni) Connects two or more items to indicate a matching or a contrast |
に (ni) Indicates a person who gives something or who provides a service |
に (ni) Indicates a point of arrival |
に (ni) Indicates an entering motion |
に (ni) Indicates the one acting or the one acted upon |
に (ni) Joins two or more nouns to indicate a list of items |
にしては (ni shite wa) Indicates a generally agreed upon standard |
にとって (ni totte) Indicates an effect or value of a person or thing |
ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to indicate a reason or cause |
ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to soften a request or suggestion |
ねえ (nee) At the end of a sentence to indicate emotion |
の (no) At the end of a sentence to express a question or soften a command, used by women |
の (no) Indicates a modified pronoun |
の (no) Used to nominalize verbs & sentences |
のに (noni) “although”, “in spite of the fact that” |
のに (noni) Indicates a purpose or function |
のみ (nomi) used to express “not only…but also” |
ば (ba) Used as a conjunction to express a probable results |
ば (ba) Used to enumerate two or more actions or states |
は (wa) + が (ga) Indicates the relation between an object / subjects and a verb or adjective |
は (wa) Emphasizes contrasting elements |
ばかり(bakari) Indicates an approximate amount |
ばかりでなく(bakari de naku) “not only… but also” |
ばかりに (bakari ni) Emphasizes a reason or cause |
ほど (hodo) Indicates a comparison in a negative sentence |
ほど (hodo) Indicates an approximate amount |
までもない (made mo nai) “there is no need to…” |
も (mo) “nothing”, nobody”, nowhere” if used with an interrogative word |
も (mo) both…and…, neither…nor… (with negative verb) |
も (mo) Emphasizes in a positive or negative way |
も (mo) means “too”, “either”, “also” |
もの (mono) At the end of a sentence to express a reason or excuse |
ものか (monoka) At the end of a sentence to express a negative determination, used by men |
ものの (mono no) “but” or “although” |
や (ya) At the end of a sentence to soften a statement, request or suggestion, used by men |
や (ya) Used to connect and partially list up multiple items |
やいなや (ya ina ya) “as soon as” |
やら (yara) Indicates two or more items of a longer list |
やら (yara) Indicates uncertainty |
よ (yo) At the end of a sentence to articulate a request or suggestion |
より (yori) Indicates a starting point in time or place but more formal than kara (20) |
わ (wa) At the end of a sentence to soften a statement, used by women |
を (wo/o) Indicates a point of departure |
を (wo/o) Indicates a route of a movement/motion |
を (wo/o) Used with an verb expressing emotions, it indicates the cause of this emotion |
をする (wo/o suru) Expresses an occupation or position |
ほど (hodo) “the more… the more…” |
が (ga) “even if”, “whether… or not” |
か (ka) Indicates a choice or alternative |
から (kara) conjunction meaning “after” or “since” |
きり (kiri) Indicates a limit to an amount |
くらい (kurai) Expresses an extent of an action or condition similar to ぐらい gurai |
くらい (kurai) Indicates a comparison |
こと (koto) At the end of a sentence to express a suggestion or invitation, used by women |
さ (sa) At the end of a sentence to indicate slight emphasis, used by men |
し (shi) Used as a conjunction, indicating two or more actions or states |
しかない (shika nai) used with a verb meaning “to have no choice but to” |
ぞ (zo) At the end of a sentence to add force to a sentence or to express a question to oneself |
だけ (dake) “as… as…” |
たら (tara) At the end of a sentence to indicate a suggestion or proposal |
たら (tara) Used as a conjunction to indicate that one action takes place before the action described in the main sentence |
で (de) Indicates a means or material |
ても (temo) a conjunction meaning “even if” |
ても (temo) Together with an interrogative word it means “no matter what/where/who” |
ても (temo) Used with a set of contrasting verbs and adjectives |
と (to) Emphasizes a number in a negative sentence |
ところ (tokoro) Indicates that an action takes place, just took place or is about to take place |
とも (tomo) At the end of a sentence to express an assertion |
な (na) At the end of a sentence to express a prohibition, used by men |
なあ (naa) At the end of a sentence to express a desire |
ながら (nagara) Used with numbers and counters to mean “both” or “all” |
など (nado) “something to the effect” |
なら (nara) Used as a conjunction and indicates a supposition or condition |
なり (nari) “either…”, “whether…or” |
に (ni) Used together with a verb to express a purpose |
に (ni) Used with a verb to indicate a change or choice |
について (ni tsuite) “about”, “concerning” something or someone |
ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to confirm a statement |
の (no) Indicates the subject of a relative clause |
ので (node) Indicates a strong reason |
のです (no desu) Asks for an explanation or reason |
のみ (nomi) Indicates a limit (similar to だけ dake) |
は (wa) Indicates that a number is the higher or lowest limit |
ばいい (ba) “all you have to do…” |
ばかり (bakari) Indicates an action was just completed |
ばかり (bakari) Indicates that an item, state or action is a single one |
ばかり (bakari) Indicates the only action left to do |
ほど (hodo) Indicates the extend of an action or condition |
まで (made) “even”, used to emphasize |
まで (made) Indicates a limit on time, space or quantity |
やら (yara) At the end of a sentence to indicate a rhetorical question with a negative implication |
よ (yo) At the end of a sentence to state a strong conviction |
より (yori) Indicates a comparison |
より (yori) Indicates superlative |