Three little particles carry all of Japanese movement and location: に for destinations and times, へ for direction, and で for where things happen and how you get there.
Take this lesson one step at a time. Try each quick check before revealing its answer, then take the quiz. Add vocabulary and grammar to your reviews to practise them over time.
Making plans to head out.
Tap a line to hear it. Shadow mode leaves a gap after each line — repeat it aloud, then hear it again. Don’t worry about being perfect; worry about being out loud.
Ken, where are you going?
place + に + 行く／来る／帰る
Marks the destination of movement verbs, and the location where something exists with います／あります.
More examples: 〜に（場所）place + へ
Marks the direction of movement, largely interchangeable with に for destinations. Pronounced え.
More examples: 〜へplace + で + action V
Marks where an action takes place. Contrast with に, which marks existence or destination.
More examples: 〜で（場所）N + で
Marks the tool, method, or means used to do something — vehicles, instruments, languages, materials.
The sentences below are extra reading and may use later grammar. Sentence questions in the quiz use the dialogue above.
Two roads running side by side — going somewhere.
A wheel seen from above, axle and all — a car.
Rice sprouting from the ground — dinner says come.
A brush working over the sun — writing until sunset.
The sun over the temple — it keeps the time.
The sun caught between gate doors — the gap in between.
Rain over a rice paddy with a lightning tail — electricity.
time + に
Marks a specific point in time when something happens. Not used with relative words like 今日 or 明日.
More examples: 〜に（時間）to (a destination); in/at (existence)
to go · いく