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Particles を, に, で, へ

8 min

を marks the object; に the time, goal and place of being; で the place of action and the means; へ the direction. Each particle follows its noun and gives it a role: 7時じにうちでごはんを食たべます。

Summary

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PointRuleExampleEnglishLevel
Objectnoun + を + verb水みずを飲のみます。I drink water.
TimeA clock time, a day or a date takes に.7時じにごはんを食たべます。I eat at seven.
GoalThe goal of 行いく, 来くる and かえる takes に or へ.日本にほんに行いきます。I'm going to Japan.
Place of beingあります and います take に for the place.へやにテレビがあります。There is a TV in the room.
Place of actionThe place where an action happens takes で.レストランでごはんを食たべます。I eat at a restaurant.
MeansVehicle, tool and language take で.でんしゃで行いきます。I go by train.
Directionへ is read え and stresses the direction.ともだちのうちへ行いきます。I'm going to a friend's house.
ReceiverThe person who receives takes に.ともだちにメールをおくります。I send an e-mail to a friend.
TrapAn action takes place at で, not に.うちでごはんを食たべます。I eat at home.
Trapあした and きょう take no に.あした、日本にほんへ行いきます。Tomorrow I go to Japan.

Overview

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  • A particle follows its noun and gives it a role: noun + を / に / で / へ + verb. パンを食たべます。I eat bread.
  • One verb can take several phrases: the time with に, the place with で, the object with を. 7時じにうちでごはんを食たべます。I eat at home at seven.
  • を is read お and へ is read え. See Hiragana.
  • The order of the phrases before the verb: see Word Order.
  • は and が: see は and が. と, も and の: see Particles と, も, の.

を: the object

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UseExampleEnglishLevel
What the verb acts on水みずを飲のみます。I drink water.
A question word as the object何なにを食たべますか。 — すしを食たべます。What do you eat? — I eat sushi.
A noun with します: do homework, do sportしゅくだいをします。I do my homework.
The place you walk through or alongこうえんをさんぽします。I take a walk in the park.

に: time, goal and place of being

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UseExampleEnglishLevel
A clock time7時じにごはんを食たべます。I eat at seven.
A day of the week or a date土曜日どようびにえいがを見みます。I watch a film on Saturday.
The goal of going, coming and returning日本にほんに行いきます。 / うちにかえります。I'm going to Japan. / I go home.
The place where something or someone is; see あります and いますへやにテレビがあります。 / アンナさんはうちにいます。There is a TV in the room. / Anna is at home.
The person who receives; see あげる, もらう, くれる: Giving and Receivingともだちにメールをおくります。I send an e-mail to a friend.
  • に marks a clock time, a day or a date; relative words such as あした and きょう take none. あした、日本にほんに行いきます。Tomorrow I go to Japan.
  • Clock times and dates: see Telling the Time and Days, Months and Dates.

で: place of action and means

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UseExampleEnglishLevel
The place where an action happensレストランでごはんを食たべます。 / うちでテレビを見みます。I eat at a restaurant. / I watch TV at home.
A vehicleでんしゃで行いきます。I go by train.
A toolはしで食たべます。I eat with chopsticks.
A language日本語にほんごではなします。I speak in Japanese.
A total amountぜんぶで500円えんです。It is 500 yen in total.

へ: direction

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UseExampleEnglishLevel
The direction of a movement日本にほんへ行いきます。I'm going to Japan.
A person's home as the goalともだちのうちへ行いきます。I'm going to a friend's house.
  • へ goes with verbs of movement only; it marks no place of being or action.
  • For a goal, へ and に are both right; へ looks at the way, に at the arrival.

Compare: に and で

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  • Being at a place takes に; doing something at a place takes で.
UseExampleEnglishLevel
The same place, being and doingアンナさんはうちにいます。 / アンナさんはうちでごはんを食たべます。Anna is at home. / Anna eats at home.
An event takes place: で before ありますあした、うちでパーティーがあります。Tomorrow there is a party at my house.

Typical errors

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WrongRightRuleLevel
ごはん食たべます。ごはんを食たべます。write を after the object; casual speech may drop it, polite writing keeps it
うちにごはんを食たべます。うちでごはんを食たべます。the place where an action happens takes で
アンナさんはうちでいます。アンナさんはうちにいます。the place where someone is takes に
日本にほんを行いきます。日本にほんに行いきます。the goal of 行いく takes に or へ, not を
バスに行いきます。バスで行いきます。a vehicle takes で; with に the bus would be the goal
あしたに日本にほんへ行いきます。あした、日本にほんへ行いきます。あした takes no に; に is for clock times, days and dates

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