にPurpose of movement
This particle marks the activity that someone goes, comes, or returns in order to do. It follows a verb stem or an activity noun and comes before the movement verb.
What the purpose phrase tells you
The phrase before the movement verb answers “What is the person going there to do?” Make the purpose phrase from the polite form by removing final ます and adding に. The final movement verb carries tense, politeness, or other endings.
Purpose made from a verb
Purpose made from an activity noun
A noun can go directly before に when it naturally names the activity motivating the trip. Common examples include 買い物 and 散歩; do not attach this pattern freely to every noun.
週末はよく家族で買い物に行きます。
I often go shopping with my family on weekends.
AnalyzeAsking the purpose
To ask what someone is going or coming to do, use 何をしに before the movement verb.
何をしに京都へ行きますか。
What are you going to Kyoto to do?
AnalyzeMore examples
明日、銀行へお金を下ろしに行きます。
Tomorrow, I am going to the bank to withdraw money.
Analyze田中さんは先生に会いに来ました。
Tanaka came to see the teacher.
Analyze忘れ物を取りに会社へ帰りました。
I returned to the office to get something I had left behind.
Analyze日曜日に子どもたちと公園へ散歩に行きました。
On Sunday, I went to the park for a walk with the children.
Analyze夏休みに北海道へ写真を撮りに行きたいです。
I want to go to Hokkaido during summer vacation to take photographs.
Analyze妹は友達と映画を見に行きました。
My younger sister went to see a movie with a friend.
Analyze何をしにここへ来たんですか。
What did you come here to do?
Analyze