94420
I recently read lots of articles/posts from the が particle usages and there is
something which isn't clear for me. So the basic usage of the が is to mark the
subject of the sentence. But in addition が can be used to mark the focus of
the sentence and in this case it is an exhaustive listing or neutral
description.

First I think the が particle always marks the subject and the focus at the
same time, because lots of article doesn't state the opposite. But seems
that’s not true. The
[japanesewithanime.com](https://www.japanesewithanime.com/2019/05/ga-
particle.html#focus-marker) says the following:

> The ga が particle can mark a noun as having the focus in a **simple
> sentence**.

But what is the situation with the complex sentence? So after this I'm
thinking lot and came the following conclusion:

**When the が subject marker is used in a simple sentence or in a main clause
then it marks the focus too. However が subject marker doesn't mark the focus
too in the subordinate clause. Am I right?**

So based on it the が is just a "plain" subject marker in the following
example:

> 私 は お母{かあ}さん が 作{つく}った お菓子{かし} を 食{た}べました。

So what I want to know: is it possible the が is just a plain subject marker in
the sentence?
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2022-05-08T16:16:38.027
94415
2022-05-08T19:01:33.163
40425
question
grammar particles particle-が
Does the が particle always mark the focus when marking the subject?
You are correct. The subject of a main clause is typically marked with は, so
when が is used instead, it carries a nuance such as _exhaustive-listing_ or
_neutral-description_.

> お母さんは英語を勉強しています。  
>  My mother is studying English.  
>  (neutral; described as a known fact)
>
> お母さんが英語を勉強しています。  
>  It's _my mother_ who is studying English.  
>  (nuanced: exhaustive-listing-ga)
>
> お母さんが英語を勉強しています。  
>  (I found/report) My mom is studying English.  
>  (nuanced: [neutral-
> description](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/43213/5010)-ga)

On the other hand, the subject of a subordinary clause (including a relative
clause) is marked with が by default, so it carries no extra nuance there. If は
is used within a relative clause, that's probably a nuanced は known as
contrastive-wa.

> 顔が美しい人  
>  a person whose face is beautiful  
>  (neutral)
>
> 顔は美しい人  
>  a person whose face, at least, is beautiful  
>  (nuanced: indicates this person has some fault)
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-08T19:01:33.163
94420
2022-05-08T19:01:33.163
5010
94415
answer