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

existenceComparison 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