Japanese Location Particles

Q: How to use で de?

で is used to mark the location of an action. 家 で 雑誌を読みます。Ie de zasshi o yomimasu. | I read magazines at home. 学校 で 勉強した。Gakkou de benkyou shita. | I studied at school. Beginners often mistake で (de) and に (ni). Make sure if you’re talking about an action taking place, then use で , whilst a non-action related location is に ni.

Q: What is the Japanese possession particle?

Th Japanese possession particle is の (no). We add the particle の to show the possession of something. It is like adding ‘s to the end of a word. 彼の帽子 kare no boushi | His hat 犬の毛 inu no ke | Dog’s fur -- Learn more about the Japanese possessive particle .

Q: What is the Japanese topic particle?

The Japanese topic particle is は (wa). In Japanese, the topic particle は follows a noun and is used to identify the topic. However, when something is discussed multiple times, the topic itself and the topic particle は are regularly omitted . Examples: 私は学生です watashi wa gakusei desu || I am a student. 私は watashi wa || As for me… 天気は tenki wa || As for the weather… -- Learn more about the Japanese topic particle .

Home A1 Location particles に and で

Today we will study an essential component of the language, the Japanese location particles.

These are used to describe where a verb takes place.

There are two location particles in Japanese and mastering their use is an essential part of becoming fluent.

JAPANESE LOCATION PARTICLE に

に ni

Existing or Being

In this context, に ni is used with being or existing verbs, and means something close to “at”/”in”.

NOTE || This makes it different from で de which will be talked about later.

PATTERN

Location + に

JAPANESE	ROMAJI	ENGLISH	NOTES
私は東京に住んでいます。	Watashi wa Tokyo ni sunde imasu.	I live in Tokyo.	住んでいます sunde imasu (I am living) is a verb that describes being in Tokyo.
椅子の上に犬がいます。	Isu no ue ni inu ga imasu.	There’s a dog on the chair.	The dog is existing on the chair.
ベンジャミンさんは福岡にいます。	Benjamin san wa Fukuoka ni imasu.	Benjamin is in Fukuoka.	In this example, Benjamin is being in Fukuoka.

When sentences with verbs like あります arimasu [to be (things)], います imasu [to be (people/animals)], or 住みます sumimasu (to live) have a location word, then the location word will likely have a に ni after.

Time

Whilst not specifically location, に ni is often used to help set the scene of a verb by marking specific times they’re done.

Generally, に ni is used for specific times (such as three o’clock, Tuesday, or July), but not with nonspecific time periods (such as today, tomorrow, or every evening).

PATTERN

Time phrase + に

JAPANESE	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
ベンジャミンさんは１７時に家に帰ります。	Benjamin san wa go ji ni ie ni kaerimasu.	Benjamin goes home at 5pm.
朝十時に買い物に行く。	Asa jyuu ji ni kaimono ni iku.	I’ll go shopping at 10am.

These examples show how に ni is sometimes used multiple times in one sentence. The first use is to indicate a time, whilst the second is to indicate direction of motion.

JAPANESE LOCATION PARTICLE で

で de

The second Japanese location particle is で (de), and marks the location of an action.

PATTERN

Location + で

JAPANESE	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
家で雑誌を読みます。	Ie de zasshi o yomimasu.	I read magazines at home.
学校で勉強した。	Gakkou de benkyou shita.	I studied at school.
北海道でスノーボードをした。	Hokkaido de suno-bo-do wo shita.	I snowboarded in Hokkaido.
インドレストランでカレーを食べた。	Indo resutoran de kare- wo tabeta.	I ate curry in the Indian restaurant.

Beginners often mistake で and に. Make sure if you’re talking about an action taking place, then use で , whilst a non-action related location is に.

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FAQs

What are the Japanese location particles?

The Japanese location particles are に ni and で de.

に is used for the state of existing or being somewhere.

に is also used for time, helping set the scene of a verb.

で is used to mark the location of an action.

How to use に ni?

に (ni) is used for the state of existing or being somewhere.

私は東京に住んでいます。Watashi wa Tokyo ni sunde imasu. | I live in Tokyo.

It is also used for time, helping set the scene of a verb.

朝十時に買い物に行く。asa jyuu ji ni kaimono ni iku. | I’ll go shopping at 10am.

How to use で de?

で is used to mark the location of an action.

家で雑誌を読みます。Ie de zasshi o yomimasu. | I read magazines at home.

学校で勉強した。Gakkou de benkyou shita. | I studied at school.

Beginners often mistake で (de) and に (ni). Make sure if you’re talking about an action taking place, then use で , whilst a non-action related location is に ni.

What is the Japanese possession particle?

Th Japanese possession particle is の (no).

We add the particle の to show the possession of something. It is like adding ‘s to the end of a word.

彼の帽子 kare no boushi | His hat

犬の毛 inu no ke | Dog’s fur

—

Learn more about the Japanese possessive particle.

What is the Japanese topic particle?

The Japanese topic particle is は (wa).

In Japanese, the topic particle は follows a noun and is used to identify the topic. However, when something is discussed multiple times, the topic itself and the topic particle は are regularly omitted.

Examples:

私は学生です watashi wa gakusei desu || I am a student.

私は watashi wa || As for me…

天気は tenki wa || As for the weather…

—

Learn more about the Japanese topic particle.

Where to learn more Japanese grammar?

You can learn more grammar like this in our Japanese Grammar Bank.

If you’d like to study with a teacher, you should have a look at our online lessons on Flexi Classes (we even have a 7 day free trial!)

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