Chapter 9 — Particles with Verbs

Chapter 8 gave you the verb system: three verb classes (五段, 一段, irregular) and the ます-form for polite speech. You can now conjugate any verb into its polite affirmative and negative. But a verb alone does not make a sentence. To say what you read, where you go, when you wake up, or who you go with, you need particles — the small words that mark the grammatical role of each noun in a sentence.

You have already met several particles: は (topic), が (subject), も (also), の (possession), に (location of existence), and か (question). This chapter introduces the particles that connect nouns to action verbs. These are the structural glue of Japanese sentences. Master them, and you can describe nearly any daily activity.

9.1 を — Direct Object

The particle を marks the direct object of a verb — the thing that receives the action.

ほんを　よみます。 I read a book.

みずを　のみます。 I drink water.

てがみを　かきます。 I write a letter.

テレビを　みます。 I watch television.

を is written with the hiragana を but pronounced "お." This is another particle pronunciation exception, like は being pronounced "わ" and へ being pronounced "え." The character を exists almost exclusively as this particle — you will rarely see it used for anything else.

The sentence structure is:

[object]を　[verb]

The を tells the listener: "this noun is what the verb acts upon." The verb always comes at the end of the sentence. Between は (topic) and を (object), a basic action sentence looks like this:

わたしは　ほんを　よみます。 I read a book.

たなかさんは　コーヒーを　のみます。 Tanaka-san drinks coffee.

がくせいは　にほんごを　べんきょうします。 The student studies Japanese.

When the topic is obvious from context, it is dropped — just as with です sentences. ほんを よみます by itself is a complete sentence meaning "I read a book" (or "he reads a book," etc., depending on context).

9.2 に — Direction, Specific Time, Indirect Object, Target

The particle に is the most versatile particle in Japanese. You already know it as the marker of location with いる and ある. With action verbs, に takes on several additional roles. Each one is distinct, but they share an underlying logic: に points to a destination, target, or fixed point.

Direction / Destination

When used with movement verbs like いく (to go), くる (to come), and かえる (to return), に marks the place you are heading toward.

がっこうに　いきます。 I go to school.

うちに　かえります。 I return home.

日本に　きます。 (Someone) comes to Japan.

としょかんに　いきます。 I go to the library.

レストランに　いきます。 I go to the restaurant.

The pattern is: [destination]に　[movement verb]. The に marks the arrival point — the place where you end up.

Specific Time

に also marks a specific point in time — a time that could appear on a clock or calendar.

七じに　おきます。 I wake up at 7 o'clock.

六じに　たべます。 I eat at 6 o'clock.

十二じに　ねます。 I go to bed at 12 o'clock.

月よう日に　いきます。 I go on Monday.

三月に　きます。 (Someone) comes in March.

The pattern is: [time]に　[verb]. Which time words take に and which do not is covered in detail in Section 9.6.

Indirect Object / Partner

Certain verbs require a person as a target or partner. に marks that person.

ともだちに　あいます。 I meet a friend.

せんせいに　ききます。 I ask the teacher.

田中さんに　でんわします。 I call Tanaka-san.

Think of に here as "to" or "toward" — the verb is directed at a person.

Target of Giving (Preview)

When giving something to someone, に marks the recipient.

せんせいに　あげます。 I give (it) to the teacher.

ともだちに　ほんを　あげます。 I give a book to a friend.

The verb あげる (to give) will be treated fully in a later chapter. For now, notice the pattern: [person]に　[thing]を　[verb]. The recipient is marked with に; the thing given is marked with を.

9.3 で — Location of Action, Means/Instrument

The particle で has two core uses with action verbs: marking the location where an action takes place and marking the means or instrument used to do something.

Location of Action

としょかんで　べんきょうします。 I study at the library.

レストランで　たべます。 I eat at a restaurant.

こうえんで　あそびます。 I play at the park.

うちで　ほんを　よみます。 I read a book at home.

えきで　ともだちに　あいます。 I meet a friend at the station.

The pattern is: [place]で　[action verb]. The で tells the listener: "this is where the action happens." The action is dynamic — someone is doing something at that location.

Means / Instrument

で also marks what you use to perform an action — a tool, vehicle, language, or material.

にほんごで　はなします。 I speak in Japanese.

えいごで　かきます。 I write in English.

バスで　いきます。 I go by bus.

でんしゃで　いきます。 I go by train.

はしで　たべます。 I eat with chopsticks.

ペンで　かきます。 I write with a pen.

Think of this で as "by means of" or "using." The instrument comes before で, and the verb comes at the end as always.

A full sentence might combine several particles:

わたしは　としょかんで　にほんごで　てがみを　かきます。 I write a letter in Japanese at the library.

Word order between は and the verb is flexible, but the verb must come last. All the following mean the same thing:

としょかんで　にほんごで　てがみを　かきます。 にほんごで　としょかんで　てがみを　かきます。

The first ordering, where location comes before means, is slightly more natural, but neither is wrong.

9.4 へ — Direction

The particle へ also marks direction of movement. It overlaps significantly with に for destinations.

がっこうへ　いきます。 I go toward school.

日本へ　きます。 (Someone) comes to Japan.

うちへ　かえります。 I return home.

へ is written with the hiragana へ but pronounced "え." This is the third particle pronunciation exception, alongside は ("わ") and を ("お"). When you see へ after a noun and before a movement verb, read it as "え."

The Difference Between に and へ

Both of these sentences are correct and mean nearly the same thing:

がっこうに　いきます。 がっこうへ　いきます。

The difference is subtle:

• に emphasizes the arrival point — you are going to school and arriving there.
• へ emphasizes the direction — you are heading in the direction of school.

In practice, for concrete destinations (school, the station, home, Japan), they are interchangeable, and most learners can treat them as synonyms. Over time, you will develop a sense for when one feels more natural. A few tendencies:

• When the destination is a specific, concrete place, に is more common.
• When the direction or journey itself is in focus, へ is sometimes preferred.
• In writing, especially letters and formal text, へ appears frequently in set phrases like ご家族へ (to your family).

For now, use either. Understand both when you encounter them.

9.5 に vs で for Location

This section addresses one of the most common mistakes for learners of Japanese. Both に and で can mark locations, but they are not interchangeable.

The rule is:

• に = location of existence (いる / ある) — something is simply there
• で = location of action — someone is doing something there

Compare:

へやに　います。 I am in the room. (existing — just being there)

へやで　べんきょうします。 I study in the room. (acting — doing something there)

としょかんに　ほんが　あります。 There are books in the library. (existing)

としょかんで　ほんを　よみます。 I read books in the library. (acting)

こうえんに　こどもが　います。 There are children in the park. (existing)

こうえんで　こどもが　あそびます。 Children play in the park. (acting)

えきに　人が　います。 There are people at the station. (existing)

えきで　ともだちを　まちます。 I wait for a friend at the station. (acting)

The test is simple: ask yourself what the verb is. If the verb is いる or ある, use に. If the verb is any action — studying, reading, eating, playing, waiting — use で.

This distinction does not exist in English, which uses "at" or "in" for both. That is precisely why it causes confusion. Drill these pairs until the choice is automatic.

9.6 Time Words and に

Not all time words take the particle に. The rule is consistent:

Specific, calendar/clock times take に. Relative times do not.

Times that take に

These are times that refer to a fixed point on a clock or calendar:

七じに　おきます。 — I wake up at 7 o'clock. 月よう日に　いきます。 — I go on Monday. 三月に　きます。 — (Someone) comes in March. 一日に　はじまります。 — It starts on the 1st.

The pattern: if you can point to it on a clock or calendar, attach に.

Times that do NOT take に

These are relative times — defined by their relationship to "now":

きょう　べんきょうします。 — I study today. あした　いきます。 — I go tomorrow. きのう　きました。 — (Someone) came yesterday. (past form — preview) まいにち　よみます。 — I read every day. まいあさ　おきます。 — I wake up every morning. まいばん　ねます。 — I go to bed every night. いま　たべます。 — I eat now.

These words do not attach to a fixed point on a calendar. きょう is "today" — it shifts every 24 hours. まいにち is "every day" — it is not one specific day. いま is "now" — it moves constantly. None of them take に.

Summary Table

When in doubt, ask: "Is this a fixed point in time, or does it move relative to now?" Fixed points take に. Relative words do not.

9.7 と — "With" and "And"

The particle と has two functions: marking a companion and making an exhaustive list of nouns.

Companion — "With"

ともだちと　いきます。 I go with a friend.

田中さんと　レストランで　たべます。 I eat at a restaurant with Tanaka-san.

かぞくと　こうえんで　あそびます。 I play at the park with my family.

せんせいと　はなします。 I talk with the teacher.

The pattern is: [person]と　[verb]. The と tells the listener that this person is the companion — the one who joins in the action.

Note on あう: The verb あう (to meet) can take either に or と for the person.

ともだちに　あいます。 ともだちと　あいます。

Both are correct. に emphasizes the directional aspect — going to meet someone. と emphasizes the mutual aspect — meeting with someone. The difference is minor.

Exhaustive Listing — "And"

When connecting nouns in a complete list, use と between each item:

ほんと　ノートを　かいます。 I buy a book and a notebook. (those two, and nothing else)

コーヒーと　みずを　のみます。 I drink coffee and water.

ペンと　ノートと　ほんを　かいます。 I buy a pen, a notebook, and a book.

The key characteristic of と is that it is exhaustive — the list is complete. ほんと ノートを かいます means you buy exactly a book and a notebook, nothing more.

Japanese has another particle, や, that makes a non-exhaustive list — "things like A and B (and others)." That particle is introduced in a later chapter. For now, remember: と = complete list; や = partial list.

9.8 から and まで — "From" and "Until"

The particles から and まで mark the starting point and ending point of a range — whether time or place.

から — "From" / "Starting at"

九じから　はたらきます。 I work from 9 o'clock.

月よう日から　べんきょうします。 I study from Monday.

えきから　あるきます。 I walk from the station.

まで — "Until" / "Up to"

五じまで　はたらきます。 I work until 5 o'clock.

金よう日まで　べんきょうします。 I study until Friday.

がっこうまで　あるきます。 I walk to school. (as far as school)

から and まで Together

These particles are frequently paired:

九じから　五じまで　はたらきます。 I work from 9 to 5.

月よう日から　金よう日まで　がっこうに　いきます。 I go to school from Monday to Friday.

うちから　えきまで　じてんしゃで　いきます。 I go from home to the station by bicycle.

八じから　十じまで　としょかんで　べんきょうします。 I study at the library from 8 to 10.

Notice how particles stack in a single sentence: から, まで, で, and を can all appear together, each marking a different noun. The verb always comes last.

A full sentence with many particles:

わたしは　まいにち　九じから　五じまで　かいしゃで　はたらきます。 Every day, I work at the company from 9 to 5.

Count the particles: は (topic), から (start), まで (end), で (location of action). Each one marks exactly one noun, and together they build a complete, precise sentence.

9.9 Reading Passage — まいにちの せいかつ

Read the following passage. Every grammar point and vocabulary item has been introduced in this chapter or in previous chapters. Read it once without looking at the translation, then check your understanding.

わたしは　まいあさ　六じはんに　おきます。かおを　あらって、あさごはんを　たべます。まいあさ　コーヒーと　パンを　たべます。

七じに　うちを　でます。えきまで　じてんしゃで　いきます。えきから　でんしゃで　かいしゃに　いきます。

かいしゃで　九じから　五じまで　はたらきます。ひるは　十二じに　レストランで　ひるごはんを　たべます。ときどき　田中さんと　たべます。

五じに　しごとが　おわります。えきから　でんしゃで　かえります。うちに　六じはんに　つきます。

よるは　うちで　ばんごはんを　つくります。ときどき　にほんごで　りょうりの　ほんを　よみます。ばんごはんの　あとで、テレビを　みます。

まいばん　十一じに　ねます。

Translation

I wake up at 6:30 every morning. I wash my face and eat breakfast. Every morning I have coffee and bread.

At 7 o'clock I leave home. I go to the station by bicycle. From the station, I go to the company by train.

At the company, I work from 9 to 5. At noon, I eat lunch at a restaurant at 12 o'clock. Sometimes I eat with Tanaka-san.

At 5 o'clock, work ends. I take the train home from the station. I arrive home at 6:30.

In the evening, I make dinner at home. Sometimes I read cooking books in Japanese. After dinner, I watch television.

Every night I go to bed at 11 o'clock.

Notes on the Passage

かおを あらって — "Wash my face and..." The て-form connects two actions in sequence. The て-form is formally introduced in a later chapter. For now, recognize the pattern: あらう → あらって means "wash and (then)..." This is a natural preview — you will encounter this form constantly in daily Japanese.

かお — "face." A new vocabulary word used here in a natural context.

ひる — "noon" / "daytime." Here it functions as a relative time word and does not take に.

おわります — "ends / finishes." The polite form of おわる (五段). The subject is しごと (work), marked with が.

つきます — "arrives." The polite form of つく (五段). うちに つきます = I arrive home. The destination takes に.

あとで — "after." A useful time expression: ばんごはんの あとで = after dinner. Formally introduced in a later chapter.

ときどき — "sometimes." An adverb of frequency, like いつも (always). It does not take に.

Reading Passage 2 — こうえんへ いきました

Read the following passage. It uses all the core particles introduced in this chapter — を, に, で, へ, と, から, まで. Read it once without looking at the translation, then check your understanding.

にちようびに ともだちと こうえんへ いきました。

うちから こうえんまで バスで いきました。バスで 二十分ぐらいです。

こうえんの いりぐちに 大きな とりいが あります。あれは めいじじんぐうの とりいです。

こうえんの なかを あるきました。みちの りょうがわに 大きな きが あります。とても しずかです。とうきょうの なかに こんな しずかな ばしょが あります。

ひるに ベンチで おべんとうを たべました。おべんとうは コンビニで かいました。ともだちは おにぎりと おちゃを かいました。わたしは サンドイッチを かいました。

ごごは じんじゃに いきました。じんじゃで おまいりを しました。それから、おみくじを ひきました。わたしの おみくじは 「小吉」でした。ともだちの おみくじは 「大吉」でした。

三じから 四じまで いけの ちかくで やすみました。いけに こいが たくさん いました。あかい こいと しろい こいが いました。

五じに こうえんを でました。えきまで あるいて、でんしゃで かえりました。

Translation

On Sunday, I went to the park with a friend.

From my house to the park, I went by bus. It is about 20 minutes by bus.

At the entrance of the park, there is a large torii gate. That is the Meiji Shrine torii.

I walked through the park. On both sides of the path, there are large trees. It is very quiet. In the middle of Tokyo, there is a place this quiet.

At noon, I ate a boxed lunch on a bench. I bought the lunch at a convenience store. My friend bought onigiri and tea. I bought a sandwich.

In the afternoon, I went to the shrine. At the shrine, I prayed. Then, I drew a fortune slip. My fortune was "small luck." My friend's fortune was "great luck."

From 3 to 4, I rested near the pond. There were many koi in the pond. There were red koi and white koi.

At 5, I left the park. I walked to the station and went home by train.

Notes on the Passage

めいじじんぐう — Meiji Shrine, located inside a large forested park in central Tokyo. It is one of the most visited shrines in Japan. The contrast between the quiet forest and the surrounding city is striking.

こんな — "this kind of / such a." A こそあど word: こんな (this kind), そんな (that kind), あんな (that kind, far), どんな (what kind). Formally introduced later.

おまいりを しました — "prayed / paid respects." おまいり is a する compound noun. At a Shinto shrine, this typically involves throwing a coin, bowing, clapping twice, and bowing again.

おみくじを ひきました — "drew a fortune slip." おみくじ are paper fortunes found at shrines and temples. They range from 大吉 (great luck) to 大凶 (great misfortune). 小吉 is "small luck" — mildly good.

しずかな — "quiet." A な-adjective (covered in Chapter 14). Recognize しずかな ばしょ as "a quiet place."

こい — "koi / carp." Ornamental fish found in ponds at many Japanese parks and temple grounds.

あかい / しろい — "red / white." い-adjectives (Chapter 13). Recognize them as color words modifying こい.

9.10 Vocabulary List

New vocabulary introduced in this chapter. The ピッチ column indicates pitch accent: ⓪ = flat (heiban), ① = drops after mora 1, ② = drops after mora 2, and so on.

Verbs

Time Words

Places

Transportation

Food and Drink

Languages

Other Nouns

Other Words