Grammar: first steps › Lesson 5
は is read "wa" (and を "o", へ "e")
The particles は, を and へ are pronounced differently from how they are written.
Key points
Three particles
The particle は is read "wa", を is read "o", and へ is read "e". They differ from the usual readings of は (ha) and へ (he).
は in greetings
The last は of こんにちは and こんばんは is also read "wa". These words began as parts of longer phrases that used は as a particle.
Examples
- わたしは学生です。Watashi wa gakusei desu.I am a student.
- 学校へ行きます。Gakkou e ikimasu.I go to school.
- 水を飲みます。Mizu o nomimasu.I drink water.
- こんにちは。Konnichiwa.Hello.
A small tip
Romaji usually writes these particles as "wa", "o" and "e". This site does the same.
Check yourself
1. How is the particle は read?
The particle は is read "wa".
2. How is the particle を read?
を is read "o".
3. How is へ read in "Gakkou e ikimasu"?
The particle へ is read "e".
This lesson was checked on 2026.11.08. Translations are a learning guide.
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