Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 2: 11/17

に (Frequency)

Times (In each time period), Every, Frequency of

Structure

Timeframe + に + Number of Times

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About に (Frequency)

When the case marking particle に is used, sometimes it has the nuance of 'frequency'. This means that it can be utilized to describe how often something happens/is done. In this grammatical construction, the 'time frame' is followed by に, then followed by the number of times that you would like to say that something happens.
In this way, に keeps its regular nuance of being a 'goal', or 'destination', within which something else takes place.
  • 私(わたし)は一(いっ)ヶ月(かげつ)に一回(いっかい)友達(ともだち)と遊園地(ゆうえんち)に行(い)く。
    I go to the amusement park with my friend every month. (One time per month)
  • 彼(かれ)は一週間(いっしゅうかん)に2回(かい)しか歯(は)を磨(みが)かないから、口(くち)が臭(くさ)い。
    Because he only brushes his teeth twice every week, his mouth stinks.
Caution
This use of に should not be confused with で in relation to time. When で is used for 'time', it is expressing the amount of time that is required to do something, or how much time something is expected to take. It is not used for frequency.
  • 2年間(ねんかん)で50万円(まんえん)も貯(た)めた。
    In two years, I saved up ￥500,000. (Natural Japanese, as this expresses the amount of time that something took)
Due to this, you can think of に as marking a portion (or portions) of time inside of a larger space of time, within which something happens. However, で marks a whole space of time, within which something can be/is completed.

Examples

  • 一年(いちねん)に三回(さんかい)ぐらい海外旅行(かいがいりょこう)に行(い)く。

    I take trips abroad about three times in a year.

  • 一日(いちにち)に六時間(ろくじかん)は寝(ね)る必要(ひつよう)がある。

    It is necessary to sleep for six hours every day.

  • 一時間(いちじかん)に十本(じゅっぽん)の電車(でんしゃ)がある。

    There are ten trains every hour.

  • 公務員(こうむいん)は一年(いちねん)に一回(いっかい)ボーナスをもらう。

    Public servants get a bonus every year. (Once each year) (Frequency)

  • 彼(かれ)はタバコを1日(にち)に40本(ぽん)ぐらい吸(す)う。

    He smokes about 40 cigarettes every day. (40 each day)

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に (Frequency) – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • narfi

    narfi

    Shouldn’t 当たり be accepted in at least some of the sentences?

  • atticusd

    atticusd

    Just wanted to point out that the Tanos link is broken.

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