Which particle goes after a place? に, で, へ, を, から, まで
The particle after a place says what happens there, and the verb usually tells you which one. に is where something is or ends up. で is where you do something. English says "in" and "at" for both, so these two are the first to sort out. The other four are about moving to, through or away from a place.
| What happens at the place | Particle | Like this |
|---|---|---|
| Someone or something is there | に | 図書館に |
| You do something there | で | 図書館で |
| You go to it | に (also へ) | 京都に |
| You put something there | に | かばんに |
| You pass through it | を | 公園を |
| You leave it | を | 家を |
| You come from it | から | 京都から |
| You go as far as it | まで | 駅まで |
に: where something is
Full pageにN5
With いる and ある, に marks the spot where someone or something is. A few other verbs take に too. 住む (live) and 泊まる (stay the night) say where you are, not what you do there. 座る (sit down) says where you end up.
My younger sister is in the kitchen now.
You may sit here.
で: where you do something
Full pageでN5
The place where you eat, shop, study, work or wait takes で.
I buy vegetables at this store.
Please wait here.
に or で?
My older brother works in Tokyo.
Where he does something.
A test, a concert or a festival is something that happens, so its place takes で, even when the verb is ある.
There is an exam in the classroom.
An exam takes place there.
There is a clock in the classroom.
A clock is there.
に: where you go, and where you put something
Full pageにN5
With a verb of going somewhere, に marks where you end up: 行く, 来る, 帰る, 着く (arrive), 入る (go into), 乗る (get on).
I will return to Japan next month.
The children entered the classroom.
歩く (walk) and 走る (run) say how you move, not where you go. With them, "to" is まで, "as far as".
I walked as far as the station.
With a verb of putting, に marks where the thing ends up.
I put the book on the desk.
Please write your name here.
Writing counts as putting.
へ: where you are heading
Full pageへN5
へ, pronounced "e", is "to" or "toward". With 行く, 来る and 帰る it can take the place of に, and the difference is slight. You will hear に more in conversation, and meet へ most in writing, on signs and in announcements.
I am heading to Sendai this afternoon.
The direction you set off in.
I am going to Sendai this afternoon.
Where you will end up.
を: the place you pass through
Full pageをN5
を marks the place you pass through: a road, a park, a bridge, a corner. It is the same を that follows the thing you eat or read. After a place, it goes with a verb of moving along, such as 歩く, 走る, 渡る (cross) or 曲がる (turn). You will hear it most when someone tells you the way.
Please go straight along this road.
行く takes を too, for the road you go along.
Please turn right at the next corner.
を for the corner you go around, に for which way you turn.
を: the place you leave
Full pageをN5
With 出る (leave) and 降りる (get off), を marks what you leave: a room, a train.
| In, on: に | Out, off: を |
|---|---|
| 部屋に入る go into the room | 部屋を |
| 電車に乗る get on the train | 電車を |
I will get off the train at the next station.
The train is what you leave: を. The station is where you do it: で.
を or から?
I left Kyoto in the morning.
With a verb of leaving, を.
I came from Kyoto.
"From" with any other verb is から.
出る and 降りる take から too: を is leaving the place behind, から is coming out from inside it.
から and まで: where you start and how far you go
Full pageから・
から is where a trip starts and まで is where it stops. から来ました is how you say where you are from.
I will travel from Tokyo to Osaka by bullet train.
Here, after a vehicle, で is "by".
In a taxi, you name the place with まで.
To the station, please.
どちら is a polite どこ.
を, で or まで?
With a verb of moving along, one place can take を, で or まで.
I ran in the park.
That is where you did your running.
Where it goes wrong
English says "at the library" whether you are there or study there, so learners say に for both.
Not said: 図書館に
(I study at the library.)
図書館で勉強します.
English says "walk to the station", so learners say に.
Not said: 駅に
(I walked to the station.)
駅まで歩きました.
English says "take the bus" and "enter the room", with no "to", so learners say を. Getting on and going in take に.
Not said: バスを
(I take the bus.)
バスに乗ります.
On, inside, in front of
の上・の中・の前N5
"On", "inside" and "in front of" come from a position word before the particle, not from に or で.
I am waiting for a friend in front of the station.