へto; toward
へ marks where someone is heading: "to" or "toward". As a particle it is pronounced "e", not "he".
I am going to Japan next month.
How to form it
Place or direction + へ + a verb of going somewhere (行く, 来る, 帰る)
To ask: どこへ. It is typed "he".
- Before it
- A place or a direction: 日本, 家, こちら (this way), 南 (south).
- After it
- A verb of heading somewhere: 行く, 来る, 帰る, 向かう (head for), 進む (move forward).
- Where you'll meet it
- Everywhere, most of all in writing, on signs and in announcements.
In use
Where are you going for summer vacation?
I will return home tomorrow.
The birds are flying south.
A direction, with no place to arrive at.
Three things to know
へ or に?
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.
With 行く, 来る and 帰る both are right and the difference is slight. に is the one you will hear more in conversation.
The swap works only for heading somewhere. Where something is, when it happens and who you meet stay に.
Not said: 姉は
(My older sister lives in Tokyo.)
東京に住んでいます.
Before a noun it is への
With の, へ describes a noun: a trip to somewhere, a present for someone. に can't do this: there is no にの.
I am planning a trip to Kyoto.
I bought a present for my mother.
On cards and welcome signs
A name with へ is the first line of a card or a note, like "To" or "Dear".
To Mom: thank you for everything.
Close neighbours
にN5
The point you reach. It is the usual choice with 着く (arrive) and 入る (go into).
The train arrived at the last stop.
〜に行くN5
What you go somewhere to do. The place can take へ, as here.
My mother went to a shop near the station to buy a cake.
Check yourself
1In which sentence can へ take the place of に?
Choose an answer to see why.
2"A letter to a friend"
友達
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
Three particles keep an old spelling: は is "wa", へ is "e", を is "o". Inside a word へ is "he", as in 部屋.
With 歩く or 走る, へ is only the direction
I walked toward the station.
I walked as far as the station.
More sentences
This train goes to Osaka.
A friend is coming this way.
The ship slowly headed toward the harbor.
Please proceed north.
I walked to the station.
Where would you like to go next?