At Level 6, は and が are no longer about rules.
They are about choice.
This level is not about deciding which particle is “correct.”
It is about understanding why a speaker chooses one particle at a specific moment.
From Context to Intention
In Level 5, は and が worked inside context.
👉 Previous article : What Is the Difference Between は and が? Context and Focus in Japanese (Level 5)
You looked at:
- what had already been said
- what both speakers knew
- what was assumed but not spoken
At Level 6, we move one step further.
Now, what matters most is:
- the speaker’s attitude
- emotional distance
- stylistic choice
Here, particles no longer show meaning.
They show stance.
Ha and Ga Difference: Level-by-Level Overview
| Level | Learning Stage | Role of は (wa) | Role of が (ga) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beginner (N5 early) | Describe things. Sentence topic “talking about ~” 私は学生です。 | Existence / events“exist / happen” 雨が降ります。 |
| 2 | Beginner (N5 late–N4) | What is visible / already shared 私は野田です。 | Choosing / identifying 私が野田です。 |
| 3 | Intermediate (N3) | Known information topic continuation 犬は庭にいます。 | New information first mention 犬が庭にいます。 |
| 4 | Intermediate (N2) | Contrast / generalization コーヒーは飲みます。 | Limitation / emphasis 私が行きます。 |
| 5 | Advanced (N1) | Contextual topic 日本語は難しいが、面白い。 | Information focus 日本語が難しい。 |
| 6 | Advanced (N1+) | Stylistic choice / stance marking 私がやりたい。 | Intentional emphasis 私はやりたい。 |
「私がやりたい」
が as an expression of will.
Conversation example: a moment of decision
Aさん：
でも、そのやり方って、ちょっとリスク高くない？
Bさん：
うん、そうかもしれない。
Aさん：
だったら、無理しなくてもいいんじゃない？
Bさん：
……私がやりたいんだから、それでいいの。
Level 6 reading
The が in 私がやりたい is not a simple subject marker.
B understands the risk and the other person’s concern.
However, B is no longer trying to explain or persuade.
The hidden intention is:
- “I know there are other opinions.”
- “I know this may not be the safest choice.”
- “Still, this is my decision.”
So this sentence really means:
私がやりたい。
→ 決めるのは私だ
Here, が is chosen not to highlight information,
but to take responsibility for the decision.
What if we used は instead?
私はやりたいんだから、それでいいの。
This sounds:
- softer
- more emotional
- more open to discussion
It feels like:
“I want to do it, and I am sharing how I feel.”
In contrast:
私がやりたいんだから
clearly shows:
- who decides
- that the discussion ends here
At Level 6:
- が pushes the will forward
- は presents a position more gently
This difference is not grammatical.
It is about commitment.
「雨は降っている」
How は creates poetic distance
Example
雨は降っている。
Why use は here?
The speaker is not:
- reporting the weather
- giving new information
Instead, the speaker is:
- quietly accepting the situation
- placing it in the background
Here, は does not push the fact forward.
It steps back from it.
A literary example
This feeling appears in poetry.
In 大阿蘇 by 三好達治, we find lines such as:
雨は降っている
馬は草を食べている
These sentences do not report events.
They place facts as scenery.
If が were used instead, the lines would sound more like observation or reporting.
At Level 6, は decides where the speaker’s gaze rests.
「月がきれいですね」
How が gathers emotion
Example
月がきれいですね。
This expression is often explained as a soft way to say I love you.
Note:
There is no confirmed record that 夏目漱石 actually said this.
However, it is widely used to explain Japanese nuance.
Why が?
Here, が points to:
- this exact moment
- this exact feeling
The moon is not:
- a topic
- an object of explanation
It becomes the focus of emotion.
What about 「月はきれいですね」?
月はきれいですね sounds:
- calm
- general
- descriptive
It feels like a quiet comment about scenery.
The tension of confession,
the shared silence,
the emotional concentration
become weaker.
At Level 6, the difference is not what you say.
It is how close you stand to your feeling.
Why Level 6 Has No “Correct Answer”
At Level 6:
- both は and が can be correct
- the difference is not visible on the surface
- the choice belongs to the speaker
Particles are no longer rules.
They are decisions.
What Comes After Level 6
If you have reached this level,
you are no longer searching for “the right answer.”
Now you begin to notice:
- discomfort in news headlines
- subtle choices in novels
- why you avoided が in a sentence
This is where Japanese becomes personal.
Want to explore は and が even deeper?
If you want to talk about real sentences,
real feelings,
and real choices,
I’ll be happy to explore them with you in lessons.
