I've read: [Difference between Xはどこ and
どこがX](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/55657/difference-
between-x%e3%81%af%e3%81%a9%e3%81%93-and-%e3%81%a9%e3%81%93%e3%81%8cx).

I understand the top answer but I'm unsure of the "why" for why those two
statements mean differently.

A) 「病院はどこですか。」  
B) 「どこが病院ですか。」

They say that (A) is when the speaker has little idea of where the hospital
is, or if it even exists while (B) assumes knowledge of a hospital. What part
of the structure gives them this difference? I've only been learning Japanese
for two weeks so I'm still pretty foreign to this. Is (A) structure used more?
It's consistent with what I've learned like "nan desu ka".

Thank you!
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2019-11-14T07:46:29.223
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2023-05-15T12:11:56.457
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question
usage
Difference between "doko desu ka" and "doko ga"
どこが病院ですか contains something called **exhaustive-listing が**. This type of が is
used to identify something from multiple possibilities.

  * 私は英語を話せます。  
I can speak English.

  * 私が英語を話せます。  
**_I_** can speak English.  
(with emphasis on "I", as a response to "Who can speak English?")  
It's me who can speak English.

  * ここは病院です。  
This is a hospital.

  * ここが病院です。  
**_This_** is the hospital (we were talking about).

  * 誰が英語を話せますか。  
Who is the one who can speak English?

  * どちらが本物ですか?  
Which is the genuine one? (I know only one of them is genuine)

If you are using a good textbook, you should be able to find a long
explanation about this, but here are some online resources:

  * [What's the difference between wa (は) and ga (が)?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/22/5010)
  * [Neutral vs. Exhaustive が](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/24324/5010)
  * Japanese with Anime: [が particle: exhaustive listing](https://www.japanesewithanime.com/2019/05/ga-particle.html#exhaustive-listing)
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2019-11-15T01:35:01.820
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answer