Common Japanese Mistake: Using は (wa) When You Need が (ga)

The は/が Confusion Is Universal

Virtually every English-speaking Japanese learner struggles with は (wa) and が (ga). Both can translate to “is” or mark the subject of a sentence in English, which makes the distinction feel invisible. But in Japanese, using the wrong one changes the nuance — or sounds grammatically wrong.

The Most Common Mistake: Using は When が Is Required

There are specific grammar patterns that always require が, regardless of topic/subject logic. Learners who rely on “は = topic” get stuck.

Rule 1: Adjectives of Feeling/Desire Use が for the Object

Pattern: すき、きらい、ほしい、〜たい、わかる、できる all take が for their object.

Rule 2: Existential Sentences Use が

When saying something exists or there is something, use が:

Rule 3: New Information Uses が

When introducing something for the first time in conversation, or answering a question with “who/what,” use が:

• 「誰が来ましたか。」「田中さんが来ました。」— Who came? Tanaka came. (new info = が)
• Once established in context: 「田中さんは遅かったです。」— Tanaka (we know him now) was late. (が → は)

When は IS Correct

• Setting the topic of the conversation: 「わたしは がくせいです。」
• Contrasting two things: 「すしはすきですが、さしみはきらいです。」
• Making a general statement: 「にほんごはむずかしいです。」

Quick Drill: は or が?

1. ピアノ＿＿ひけます。(I can play piano)
2. あそこ＿＿えきです。(That over there is the station)
3. この映画＿＿おもしろいです。(as a general topic)
4. だれ＿＿きましたか。

Answers: 1. が (できる pattern) / 2. が (new info) / 3. は (topic) / 4. が (question word + が)

Yuka Makes the は vs が Mistake

Mistakes feel embarrassing in the moment but they are the fastest way to learn. Watch how Yuka makes a natural error — and how Rei explains the rule clearly enough to prevent it from happening again.

Yuka

Rei, I wrote 私はすしが好きです and my teacher said it was correct. But I also wrote 私がすしは好きです — wrong?

Rei

Yes! In 私はすしが好きです, は marks the topic (you), and が marks the subject of 好き (sushi). Reversing them breaks the natural structure. は is ‘as for me’, が is what the feeling attaches to.

Yuka

When do I actually use が instead of は as the topic marker?

Rei

When something is new information or you’re making a contrast. だれがきましたか？ — Who came? Answer: たろうがきました — Taro came (が, first mention). But: たろうはがくせいです — Taro is a student (は, topic established).

Yuka

So は is for things already known in context, が for new information?

Rei

That’s the core rule. は also signals contrast — りんごはたべますが、バナナはたべません — I eat apples but not bananas. Both topics are contrasted with は. This is why は and が feel so tricky — both can mark the subject in different situations.

5 Correct Sentences — Read These Aloud

Each sentence demonstrates the correct usage from this article. Say them aloud to lock in the right pattern.

1. 私はコーヒーが好きです。（○）
   I like coffee. (correct: は for topic, が for what you like)
2. だれがそれをやりましたか？
   Who did that? (が asks about unknown info)
3. さかなはたべますが、にくはたべません。
   I eat fish, but I don’t eat meat. (は contrast)
4. あそこに猫がいます。その猫は白いです。
   There’s a cat over there. That cat is white. (が first mention, は second)
5. 日本語は難しいですが、おもしろいです。
   Japanese is difficult, but it’s interesting.

Your Turn! Correct the Mistake in the Comments

Here is a sentence with the error from this article. Can you fix it? Write the corrected version — and your own correct sentence — in the comments below.

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