In Japanese, particles are small words that follow nouns, verbs, or phrases to indicate their grammatical function in a sentence. They help clarify relationships between words, such as the subject, object, or direction of an action. Common particles include は (wa), which marks the topic, and を (o), which indicates the direct object. Particles are essential for understanding the structure of Japanese sentences. They do not have direct translations in English but are crucial for conveying meaning. Other important particles include に (ni) for direction or time, and で (de) for the location of an action.