は and が, where I am with it now

2026-07-02

Not an explanation, there are a hundred of those and most are better than what I would write. This is just what finally clicked for me, in case it helps. If I'm wrong somewhere please tell me.

The thing that helped most: stop thinking "は = topic, が = subject" as a rule to apply, and instead ask what is the new information in this sentence.

だれが来ましたか。 田中さんが来ました。

The question is about who, so the who is new info, so が. Saying 田中さんは来ました here sounds like "Tanaka came (but others didn't?)", which a teacher pointed out to me after I said it in class. Embarrassing but I remember it now.

田中さんはどこですか。

We already know we're talking about Tanaka, the new part is where.

stuff that still trips me

• が in relative clauses: 私が書いた本. My brain wants は there every time.
• contrast は stacked with other particles: 東京には行ったことがある (but not Osaka). I understand it reading, can't produce it naturally.
• 好き / 分かる / できる taking が. I know the rule, I still say を out loud like half the time.

Resource that helped: the は/が chapter in Tae Kim's guide, and then just reading a lot of easy stuff and noticing.