Top Mistakes Japanese Learners Make

Level: N3 (review for all levels). These are the mistakes that show up again and again in beginner and intermediate Japanese. None of them is hard once you see the pattern — and each links to the lesson that drills it.

By the end of this page you can…

…recognise the five highest-frequency errors, understand why they happen, and apply a one-line fix to each.

1. は (wa) vs が (ga)

The single biggest source of confusion. は (wa) marks the topic — what the sentence is about, usually something already known. が (ga) marks the subject, and introduces or singles out new information.

• 私は学生です (Watashi wa gakusei desu) = “As for me, I’m a student” — は (wa) sets a known topic.
• 誰が来ましたか (Dare ga kimashita ka) = “Who came?” — が (ga), because the answer is new information.

2. The wrong particle for a place

English uses “at/in” for both existing somewhere and doing something there; Japanese splits them. に (ni) marks where something exists; で (de) marks where an action happens.

• ❌ 図書館に勉強します (toshokan ni benkyō shimasu) → ✅ 図書館で勉強します (Toshokan de benkyō shimasu). Studying is an action, so the place takes で (de).
• ✅ 図書館にいます (Toshokan ni imasu) = “I am in the library” — existence takes に (ni).

Pick the particle from the verb, not from the English. See the に (ni) particle and で (de) particle lessons.

3. Reading は (wa), へ (e) and を (o) the wrong way

Three kana change their sound when used as particles. Saying them the “spelling” way marks you instantly as a beginner.

• は (wa) as a particle is read wa: 私は (watashi wa), not “watashi ha”.
• へ (e) as a particle is read e: 東京へ (Tōkyō e), not “Tōkyō he”. More on the へ (e) particle.
• を (o) is read o: パンを食べます (pan o tabemasu), not “pan wo tabemasu”. Practise it on the を (o) particle lesson.

4. Overusing 私 (watashi)

English needs a subject in every clause; Japanese does not. Once the topic is set, the ending carries it. Starting every sentence with 私は (watashi wa) sounds unnatural.

• ❌ 私は学生です。私は日本語を勉強します (Watashi wa gakusei desu. Watashi wa nihongo o benkyō shimasu).
• ✅ 私は学生です。日本語を勉強します (Watashi wa gakusei desu. Nihongo o benkyō shimasu). The second 私は (watashi wa) is unnecessary.

5. Mixing polite and plain forms

Within one piece of speech or writing, keep a consistent style. Jumping between です/ます (desu/masu) polite endings and the plain form in the same conversation sounds jarring.

• Polite: 日本語を勉強します (Nihongo o benkyō shimasu).
• Plain: 日本語を勉強する (Nihongo o benkyō suru).

Choose one register and stay in it. The copula です (desu) is the backbone of polite style — review it on the です / だ (desu / da) copula lesson.

A few fixed sentences to copy

1. 私は学生です。
   Watashi wa gakusei desu.
   I am a student.
   は read wa
2. 誰が来ましたか。
   Dare ga kimashita ka.
   Who came?
   new info → が (ga)
3. 図書館で勉強します。
   Toshokan de benkyō shimasu.
   I study in the library.
   action place → で (de)
4. 図書館にいます。
   Toshokan ni imasu.
   I am in the library.
   existence → に (ni)
5. 東京へ行きます。
   Tōkyō e ikimasu.
   I go to Tokyo.
   へ read e
6. 水を飲みます。
   Mizu o nomimasu.
   I drink water.
   を read o
7. 日本語を勉強します。
   Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.
   I study Japanese.
8. 猫がいます。
   Neko ga imasu.
   There is a cat.

Practice

Practice

Fixing common mistakes

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which particle answers 'Who came?': 誰__来ましたか (Dare __ kimashita ka)?

は (wa) が (ga) を (o) で (de)

Check

Show answer

が (ga) — New information that answers who/what takes が (ga).

2 Type the romaji particle for the action place: 図書館__勉強します (Toshokan __ benkyō shimasu).

Check

Hint: Where an action happens.

Show answer

de — An action's location takes で (de): 図書館で勉強します (Toshokan de benkyō shimasu).

3 Match each particle with how it is read.

• は (topic) Match for は (topic) — choose — egaowa
• へ (direction) Match for へ (direction) — choose — egaowa
• を (object) Match for を (object) — choose — egaowa
• が (subject) Match for が (subject) — choose — egaowa

Check

Show answer

• は (topic) → wa
• へ (direction) → e
• を (object) → o
• が (subject) → ga

As particles, は (wa) is read wa, へ (e) is read e and を (o) is read o; が (ga) keeps its ga sound.

4 Which sentence sounds most natural?

私は学生です。私は日本語を勉強します。 (Watashi wa gakusei desu. Watashi wa nihongo o benkyō shimasu.) 私は学生です。日本語を勉強します。 (Watashi wa gakusei desu. Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.) 学生です私は。 (Gakusei desu watashi wa.) 私は私は学生です。 (Watashi wa watashi wa gakusei desu.)

Check

Show answer

私は学生です。日本語を勉強します。 (Watashi wa gakusei desu. Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.) — Once the topic is set, drop the extra 私は (watashi wa).

Quiz

Check yourself

Common Japanese mistakes quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered

1. 1は (wa) marks the…

   A known topic B brand-new subject C action location D direct object
   Show answer

   known topic — は (wa) marks the topic; が (ga) introduces new information.

2. 2'I study in the library' is…

   A 図書館に勉強します (Toshokan ni benkyō shimasu) B 図書館で勉強します (Toshokan de benkyō shimasu) C 図書館へ勉強します (Toshokan e benkyō shimasu) D 図書館を勉強します (Toshokan o benkyō shimasu)
   Show answer

   図書館で勉強します (Toshokan de benkyō shimasu) — An action's place takes で (de).

3. 3'I am in the library' uses…

   A で (de) B に (ni) C へ (e) D を (o)
   Show answer

   に (ni) — Existence with いる (iru) takes に (ni).

4. 4The topic-marking kana (normally ha) is read…

   A ha B wa C pa D ba
   Show answer

   wa — As a topic particle it is read wa, not ha.

5. 5The object particle (the kana normally called wo) is read…

   A wo B o C ou D uo
   Show answer

   o — The object particle is read o: 水を飲みます (Mizu o nomimasu).

6. 6Why can you drop 私 (watashi) in the second sentence?

   A It is rude to say it B The topic is already set and the ending carries it C the word watashi is plural D Japanese has no pronouns
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   The topic is already set and the ending carries it — Once the topic is established, repeating 私は (watashi wa) is unnecessary.

7. 7Which pairing is consistent in register?

   A benkyō shimasu and benkyō suru together B benkyō shimasu throughout C mixing desu and da freely D ending randomly
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   benkyō shimasu throughout — Keep one register: stay polite (shimasu) or plain (suru), not both at once.

8. 8'Who came?' is…

   A 誰は来ましたか (Dare wa kimashita ka) B 誰が来ましたか (Dare ga kimashita ka) C 誰を来ましたか (Dare o kimashita ka) D 誰で来ましたか (Dare de kimashita ka)
   Show answer

   誰が来ましたか (Dare ga kimashita ka) — The new-information subject takes が (ga).

Next

• The biggest fix first: は (wa) particle and が (ga) particle
• Place particles: に (ni) vs で (de)
• Back to Start Learning Japanese Here