“複合助詞 — stacking particles”
Sometimes in Japanese, multiple particles appear together in a row. This is called “stacking” — and it often happens when different kinds of particles each add their own meaning.
-
あなたにだけは 話します。
→ “I’ll tell you — but only to you.”
- に — case particle (showing direction or target)
- だけ — focus particle (meaning “only”)
- は — topic particle
-
今日のテストは 3時からですよね。
→ “The test today starts at 3, right?”
- から — shows the starting time
- よ — adds emphasis
- ね — seeks confirmation
It may feel like a lot at first, but these combinations are everywhere in natural Japanese — and they often follow patterns.
So don’t worry — just start noticing them when you see or hear Japanese in real life.