Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 3: 1/13

At, In

Structure

Place +

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Particle

  • Word Type

    Case Marking Particle

  • Register

    Standard

About 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 , which marks the location itself as being the destination or target of an action. Basically, means (A) 'place' allows (B) 'action' to occur. While means (A) 'place' is the target for (B) 'action' occurring.

In the first example, we can see that 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.

Examples

--:--

    そこ()

    I sleep (at) there.

    ホテル()

    To sleep at the hotel.

    ここ()ります

    To turn (at) here.

    (わたし)ここサッカーする

    I play soccer (at) here.

    そこ(およ)ます

    Will you swim (at) there?

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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:

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

    • 公園歩く 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 introduces when used with motion verbs.

    HTH!

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