Language/Japanese/Grammar/Particles-に-and-で

Japanese Grammar → Particles and Conjunctions → Particles に and で

As a Japanese language teacher, I have noticed that many beginner students struggle with the usage of particles in Japanese. Today, we will focus on two important particles: に and で. These particles are used to express time, place, instrument, and means in Japanese sentences. Proper usage of these particles is crucial for learners to effectively communicate in Japanese. So, let's dive in!

Particle に

The particle に is commonly used to indicate the following:

1. Time: Indicate the specific time an action takes place. 2. Place: Indicate the destination of an action or location where something exists. 3. Indirect Object: Indicate the recipient of an action.

Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
あしたに　（ashita ni)	ah-shee-tah nee	Tomorrow
きょう　に　（kyou ni)	kee-oh nee	Today
くに　に　いく　（kuni ni iku）	koo-nee nee ee-koo	Go to a country
はこ　に　もちものを　おく　（hako ni mochimono wo oku)	ha-koh nee moh-chee-moh-noh wo oh-koo	Put luggage in a box

Particle で

The particle で is commonly used to indicate the following:

1. Means: Indicate the means by which an action is accomplished. 2. Place: Indicate the location where an action takes place. 3. Instrument: Indicate the tool, method or material used to perform an action.

Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
でんしゃで　あそぶ　（densha de asobu)	den-sha deh ah-soh-boo	Play on a train
がっこうで　べんきょう　（gakkou de benkyou)	gah-koh deh ben-kyoh	Study at school
ほんで　にほんご　を　べんきょう　する　（hon de nihongo wo benkyou suru)	hawn deh nee-hon-goh wo ben-kyoh soo-roo	Study Japanese with a book

As you can see, the particle に and で are dependent on the context in which they are used. Therefore, it is important to understand how they are used in Japanese sentences so that learners can effectively communicate their message.

To summarize, particles に and で are essential to mastering Japanese grammar, especially when it comes to expressing time, location, means and instrument. Learn the difference between these two particles, and incorporate them into your Japanese sentences to sound more natural and communicate effectively.

Sources

• Japanese Particles
• Japanese Grammar

Table of Contents - Japanese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Hiragana Basics

• Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• Particle は and が
• Verb Conjugation
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

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Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Describing People
• Counting Numbers and Time
• Basic Food and Drink Terminology
• Daily Activities and Hobbies
• Basic Directions and Transportation

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Geography and History

• Introduction to Japanese Geography
• Brief History of Japan
• Traditional Arts and Customs
• Popular Culture and Entertainment

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adverb Types and Usage
• Comparison and Superlative
• Adjective and Adverbial Modification

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Family and Social Relations

• Family Members and Titles
• Social Etiquette and Expressions
• Basic Workplace and Business Terminology
• Shopping and Consumer Culture

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Religion and Philosophy

• Shinto and Buddhism
• Zen and Samurai Culture
• Contemporary Spiritual Movements

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Particles and Conjunctions

• Particles に and で
• Particles へ and を
• Particles も and しか
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• Conditional and Hypothetical Sentences

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Travel and Tourism

• Basic Travel and Tourism Vocabulary
• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Japanese Hospitality and Service Culture

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Education and Science

• Educational System and Vocabulary
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• Natural Disasters and Risk Prevention

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Prepositions and Interjections

• Prepositions and Postpositions
• Emphasis and Intensification
• Exclamation and Impression Expressions

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Arts and Media

• Film and Theater Terminology
• Music and Dance Terminology
• Art and Literature Terminology

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Politics and Society

• Basic Political Vocabulary
• Social Issues and Controversies
• Japanese Business and Work Culture