178 CHAPTER 4. PARTICLES
The last particle in the list, but also the simplest to explain. In modern
Japanese, this particle does nothing more than mark a direct verb object.
We’re already discussed this in chapter 2 in the section on verb particles, it’s
pronounced as , and there is really nothing else to say about this particle.
4.3 More particles
In addition to these quintessential 10, there are a number of particles which
should be known in order to be able to communicate more than rudimen-
tary ideas – that is not to say we cannot create complex constructions with
the previous 10 particles, but to properly express ourselves we need a few
more. The following list is divided into two sections; the first focussing
mostly on sentence ending emphatic particles, and the second focussing
on more general grammatical particles.
4.3.1 Emphatic particles
This particle is most often found at the end of statements, where it marks
information as being either new information, or contrary to the listener’s
belief. While tempting, this particle should not be translated with an ex-
clamation mark, as isn’t actually an exclamation, but only emphasises
the ”new information”/”contrary information” aspect. For instance:
”(It) was very fun.”
”(It) was very fun (you didn’t know or expect this, so I’m telling you
it was).”
When is used to emphasise contrasting information, the situation
is usually some kind of misunderstanding:
”No (emphatic). The new ones (go) here, the old ones (go) over there
(emphatic).”
While it would be temping in this use to translate with an excla-
mation mark anyway, care should be taken not to overdo things. A stern
