Subject Marker が
Subject marker が — marks the subject, new information, and grammatical focus
Can use が for subject marking
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
日本語が好きです。
I like Japanese.
あそこに猫がいます。
There is a cat over there.
何がありますか。
What is there?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
が — Subject Marker
が marks the subject — especially for new information, with existence verbs, and after question words.
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| New info | 雨が降っています。 | It's raining. (announcing) |
| Existence | 猫がいます。 | There is a cat. |
| After Q-word | 誰が来ましたか。 | Who came? |
| Likes/ability | 日本語が好きです。 | I like Japanese. |
Key rule: After question words (誰, 何, どこ), always use が, never は.
Using は instead of が after question words; Forgetting が with 好き/嫌い/分かる/ある/いる
日本語が好きです。
I like Japanese.
日本語(にほんご, Japanese) + が(subject) + 好き(すき, liked) + です — with 好き, the liked thing takes が
あそこに猫がいます。
There is a cat over there.
あそこ(over there) + に(location) + 猫(ねこ, cat) + が(subject) + います(exists, animate)
何がありますか。
What is there?
何(なに, what) + が(subject — always が after question words) + あります(exists, inanimate) + か
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises