Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 3: 1/13

でAt, In

Structure

Place + で

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Particle

  • Word Type

    Case Marking Particle

  • Register

    Standard

About で

で is a particle that has several different uses in Japanese. At its core, it is always used to highlight something that is 'required' to perform some sort of action. One of these uses relates to places, and translates roughly as 'at', or 'in' in English.

In these sentences, the place is considered essential for the action to be performed, or the result of the action to be achieved. This is unlike the particle に, which marks the location itself as being the destination or target of an action. Basically, で means (A) 'place' allows (B) 'action' to occur. While に means (A) 'place' is the target for (B) 'action' occurring.

In the first example, we can see that に marks the place that the person exists during an action, but the action itself is not dependent on the place. In the second example, the action is considered dependent on being at that place, as there are possibly no barbeques in other areas.

Synonyms

Related

Examples

--:--

    そこで寝(ね)る。

    I sleep (at) there.

    ホテルで寝(ね)る。

    To sleep at the hotel.

    ここで曲(ま)がります。

    To turn (at) here.

    私(わたし)はここでサッカーをする。

    I play soccer (at) here.

    そこで泳(およ)ぎますか。

    Will you swim (at) there?

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

で – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    Ya never stop learning ahaha interesting!

  • vamshi

    vamshi

    Hi @IcyIceBear

    haha, learning never stops.

    So, both mean the same. right?

  • Pablunpro

    Pablunpro

    Hi!

    There is indeed a difference in nuance, though both of them can be rendered as ‘through’ in English:

    • 公園で歩く means that you walk around the park, i.e. the park is the place you ‘use’ in order to walk.

    • 公園を歩く means that you traverse the park to go somewhere else, i.e. you use the park as a shortcut or the park is part of the path to your destination.

    There are some topics in the community that include discussions about the nuance that を introduces when used with motion verbs.

    HTH!

Got questions about で? Join us to discuss, ask, and learn together!

Join the Discussion