How to Use the Japanese Particle に (ni)

Table of Contents

• Quick-Start Overview
• 1. に for Destinations & Direction
• 2. に for Specific Points in Time
• 3. に for Existence & Current Location
• 4. に for Indirect Objects & Targets
• 5. に for Purpose, Result, & Change
• Rule Exceptions & Edge Cases
• Similar But Don’t Confuse With…
• Exercise Drill
• Culture & Usage Nuggets
• Summary & Next-Lesson Teaser

Quick-Start Overview

The Japanese particle に is one of the most versatile—and therefore confusing—elements of Japanese grammar. Common English glosses like “to,” “at,” “on,” and “for” only scratch the surface. This lesson breaks down に into five core use-cases, each with clear rules, real-world examples, and drills. By the end you’ll recognize when に marks destination, time, existence, recipient, purpose, and even changes of state—an essential step toward fluent Japanese grammar mastery.

1. に for Destinations & Direction

When に follows a place word, it usually marks the endpoint of motion—“to” or “into” somewhere.

• In English you often see “to,” but what matters is that something or someone is moving toward a concrete goal.

Examples

• JP: 私わたしは駅えきに行いく。
  EN: I go to the station.
• JP: 子こどもが水みずの中なかに飛とびこむ。
  EN: The child jumps into the water.
• JP: 来週らいしゅう日本にほんに帰かえる。
  EN: I will return to Japan next week.
• JP: 席せきに着ついてください。
  EN: Please take your seat.
• JP: 猫ねこが箱はこに入はいった。
  EN: The cat went into the box.

2. に for Specific Points in Time

Use に to nail down when something happens—think “at,” “on,” or “in” for precise, countable moments.

• Days of the week, dates, clock times, months, years, and even “tomorrow morning” can all take に.
• Broad time spans (“every day,” “last night”) usually drop the particle.

Examples

• JP: 午後ごご三時じに会あいましょう。
  EN: Let’s meet at 3 p.m.
• JP: 一月いちがつ一日ついたちに神社じんじゃへ行いく。
  EN: I go to a shrine on January 1st.
• JP: 日曜にちように試合しあいがある。
  EN: There is a match on Sunday.
• JP: 五ご分ふんに電車でんしゃが来くる。
  EN: The train arrives in five minutes.
• JP: 二〇二五にせんにじゅうご年ねんに卒業そつぎょうする。
  EN: I will graduate in 2025.

3. に for Existence & Current Location

With the verbs いる／ある, the particle に indicates where someone or something exists or is stationed, rather than where it’s headed.

Examples

• JP: 図書館としょかんに学生がくせいがいる。
  EN: There are students in the library.
• JP: 財布さいふは机つくえの上うえにある。
  EN: The wallet is on the desk.
• JP: 社長しゃちょうは会議室かいぎしつにいます。
  EN: The president is in the meeting room.
• JP: 犬いぬが庭にわにいる。
  EN: The dog is in the yard.
• JP: 答こたえは本ほんの中なかにある。
  EN: The answer is inside the book.

4. に for Indirect Objects & Targets

When an action is directed toward a person or entity—giving, telling, asking—に marks that recipient.

Examples

• JP: 母ははに花はなを贈おくった。
  EN: I sent flowers to my mother.
• JP: 先生せんせいに質問しつもんを聞きいた。
  EN: I asked the teacher a question.
• JP: 友達ともだちに本ほんを貸かした。
  EN: I lent a book to a friend.
• JP: 弟おとうとに英語えいごを教おしえる。
  EN: I teach English to my younger brother.
• JP: 彼かれにそれを言いわないで。
  EN: Don’t tell him that.

5. に for Purpose, Result, & Change

に often follows a verb stem or noun to express why you go somewhere, what something becomes, or the result of an action.

1. Purpose of movement (verb stem + に + motion verb)
2. Change of state: “become,” “turn into,” “end up as” using なる
3. Result/Effect with transitive verbs like 入れる (put in)

Examples

• JP: 食たべに行いこう。
  EN: Let’s go (somewhere) to eat.
• JP: 図書館としょかんへ勉強べんきょうしに行いく。
  EN: I go to the library to study.
• JP: 春はるに花はなが咲さく。
  EN: Flowers bloom in spring. (result)
• JP: 彼かれは医者いしゃになった。
  EN: He became a doctor.
• JP: 砂糖さとうをコーヒーに入いれる。
  EN: I put sugar into the coffee.

Rule Exceptions & Edge Cases

• Frequency words like 毎日まいにち, 昨日きのう, and 今朝けさ usually omit に: 「昨日きのう行いった」 not ×「昨日に」.
• Relative timing (すぐ, あとで) also skip に.
• に vs. で for location: に with いる・ある (state); で with action. 「図書館にいる」 but 「図書館で勉強する」.
• Double particles: へには is possible when stacking topic + destination: 「京都きょうとへには行いかない」.
• Verb of entering often drops に: 「部屋へやへ/に入はいる」→ colloquially just 「部屋に入る」 or 「部屋に入る」, both accepted.

Similar But Don’t Confuse With…

1. に vs. へ (direction)

• へ highlights direction; に highlights destination.
  • JP: 学校がっこうへ歩あるく。
    EN: I walk toward school.
  • JP: 学校がっこうに着ついた。
    EN: I arrived at school.

2. に vs. で (location of action)

• で marks where an action happens; に marks where something exists.
  • JP: 公園こうえんで走はしる。
    EN: I run in the park.
  • JP: 公園こうえんに子供こどもがいる。
    EN: There are children in the park.

3. に vs. から／まで (start & end points)

• から marks origin, まで marks limit; に does not express starting points.
  • JP: 東京とうきょうから大阪おおさかまで行いく。
    EN: I go from Tokyo to Osaka.

These contrasts help guard against common learner mistakes and deepen your sense for Japanese particles.

Exercise Drill

Choose the correct particle or translate as directed.

1. 九きゅう時じ__ 授業じゅぎょうが始はじまる。
   a) に b) で c) へ
2. 山田やまださん__ 手紙てがみを送おくった。
   a) に b) で c) へ
3. 机つくえ__ 本ほんがある。
   a) に b) で c) へ
4. Translate: “Let’s go to the beach to swim.”
   (Hint: use verb stem + に)
5. 公園こうえん__ 写真しゃしんを撮とった。
   a) に b) で c) へ
6. 来年らいねん大学だいがく__ 入はいる予定よていだ。
   a) に b) で c) へ

Culture & Usage Nuggets

• Tip etiquette: When handing gifts in Japan, many people say 「つまらないものですが…」 to the recipient, neatly marked with に.
• Shinto shrine visits on New Year’s Day (初詣はつもうで) are often described with 「神社に行く」; に emphasizes arrival, not just direction.
• Station announcements frequently use に to give times: 「電車は◯時◯分に発車します」—listen for it next trip.
• Ads for cram schools highlight goals: 「志望校に合格しよう！」 showing に with verbs of result.
• Japanese learners sometimes overuse に after “today” or “tomorrow.” Native speakers drop it: 「今日行く」 not ×「今日に行く」.

Summary & Next-Lesson Teaser

You’ve covered the five core roles of the Japanese particle に—destination, exact time, existence, indirect object, and purpose/result—plus quirks, exceptions, and how it differs from へ and で. Mastery of に is pivotal for Japanese grammar fluency. In the next lesson we’ll tackle the particle で, exploring how it marks means, location of action, tools, and material—perfect foil to your new knowledge of に.