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.

本ほんを　読よみます。 I read a book.

水みずを　飲のみます。 I drink water.

手紙てがみを　書かきます。 I write a letter.

テレビを　見みます。 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　本ほんを　読よみます。 I read a book.

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

学生がくせいは　日本語にほんごを　勉強べんきょうします。 The student studies Japanese.

When the topic is obvious from context, it is dropped — just as with です sentences. 本を 読みます 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 行いく (to go), 来くる (to come), and 帰かえる (to return), に marks the place you are heading toward.

学校がっこうに　行いきます。 I go to school.

うちに　帰かえります。 I return home.

日本にほんに　来きます。 (Someone) comes to Japan.

図書館としょかんに　行きます。 I go to the library.

レストランに　行きます。 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.

七しちじに　起おきます。 I wake up at 7 o'clock.

六ろくじに　食たべます。 I eat at 6 o'clock.

十二じゅうにじに　寝ねます。 I go to bed at 12 o'clock.

月げつよう日びに　行いきます。 I go on Monday.

三月さんがつに　来きます。 (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.

友ともだちに　会あいます。 I meet a friend.

先生せんせいに　聞ききます。 I ask the teacher.

田中たなかさんに　電話でんわします。 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.

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

友ともだちに　本ほんを　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

図書館としょかんで　勉強べんきょうします。 I study at the library.

レストランで　食たべます。 I eat at a restaurant.

公園こうえんで　遊あそびます。 I play at the park.

うちで　本ほんを　読よみます。 I read a book at home.

駅えきで　友ともだちに　会あいます。 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.

日本語にほんごで　話はなします。 I speak in Japanese.

英語えいごで　書かきます。 I write in English.

バスで　行いきます。 I go by bus.

電車でんしゃで　行きます。 I go by train.

箸はしで　食たべます。 I eat with chopsticks.

ペンで　書きます。 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　図書館としょかんで　日本語にほんごで　手紙てがみを　書かきます。 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:

図書館で　日本語で　手紙を　書きます。 日本語で　図書館で　手紙を　書きます。

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.

学校がっこうへ　行いきます。 I go toward school.

日本にほんへ　来きます。 (Someone) comes to Japan.

うちへ　帰かえります。 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:

学校がっこうに　行いきます。 学校へ　行きます。

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:

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

部屋で　勉強べんきょうします。 I study in the room. (acting — doing something there)

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

図書館で　本を　読よみます。 I read books in the library. (acting)

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

公園で　子どもが　遊あそびます。 Children play in the park. (acting)

駅えきに　人ひとが　います。 There are people at the station. (existing)

駅で　友ともだちを　待まちます。 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:

七しちじに　起おきます。 — I wake up at 7 o'clock. 月げつよう日びに　行いきます。 — I go on Monday. 三月さんがつに　来きます。 — (Someone) comes in March. 一日ついたちに　始はじまります。 — 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　勉強べんきょうします。 — I study today. あした　行いきます。 — I go tomorrow. きのう　来きました。 — (Someone) came yesterday. (past form — preview) 毎日まいにち　読よみます。 — I read every day. 毎朝まいあさ　起おきます。 — I wake up every morning. 毎晩まいばん　寝ねます。 — I go to bed every night. いま　食たべます。 — 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"

友ともだちと　行いきます。 I go with a friend.

田中たなかさんと　レストランで　食たべます。 I eat at a restaurant with Tanaka-san.

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

先生せんせいと　話はなします。 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 会あう: The verb 会う (to meet) can take either に or と for the person.

友ともだちに　会あいます。 友だちと　会います。

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:

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

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

ペンと　ノートと　本を　買います。 I buy a pen, a notebook, and a book.

The key characteristic of と is that it is exhaustive — the list is complete. 本と ノートを 買います 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"

九くじから　働はたらきます。 I work from 9 o'clock.

月げつよう日びから　勉強べんきょうします。 I study from Monday.

駅えきから　歩あるきます。 I walk from the station.

まで — "Until" / "Up to"

五ごじまで　働はたらきます。 I work until 5 o'clock.

金きんよう日びまで　勉強べんきょうします。 I study until Friday.

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

から and まで Together

These particles are frequently paired:

九くじから　五ごじまで　働はたらきます。 I work from 9 to 5.

月げつよう日びから　金きんよう日まで　学校がっこうに　行いきます。 I go to school from Monday to Friday.

うちから　駅えきまで　自転車じてんしゃで　行きます。 I go from home to the station by bicycle.

八はちじから　十じゅうじまで　図書館としょかんで　勉強べんきょうします。 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　毎日まいにち　九じから　五じまで　会社かいしゃで　働はたらきます。 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 — 毎日まいにちの 生活せいかつ

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　毎朝まいあさ　六ろくじはんに　起おきます。顔かおを　洗あらって、朝あさごはんを　食たべます。毎朝　コーヒーと　パンを　食べます。

七しちじに　うちを　出でます。駅えきまで　自転車じてんしゃで　行いきます。駅から　電車でんしゃで　会社かいしゃに　行きます。

会社で　九くじから　五ごじまで　働はたらきます。昼ひるは　十二じゅうにじに　レストランで　昼ひるごはんを　食べます。ときどき　田中たなかさんと　食べます。

五じに　仕事しごとが　終おわります。駅から　電車で　帰かえります。うちに　六じはんに　着つきます。

夜よるは　うちで　晩ばんごはんを　作つくります。ときどき　日本語にほんごで　料理りょうりの　本ほんを　読よみます。晩ごはんの　あとで、テレビを　見みます。

毎晩まいばん　十一じゅういちじに　寝ねます。

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

顔かおを 洗あらって — "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: 洗あらう → 洗って means "wash and (then)..." This is a natural preview — you will encounter this form constantly in daily Japanese.

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

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

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

着つきます — "arrives." The polite form of 着つく (五段). うちに 着きます = 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 — 公園こうえんへ 行いきました

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.

日曜日にちようびに 友ともだちと 公園こうえんへ 行いきました。

うちから 公園まで バスで 行きました。バスで 二十にじゅう分ぷんぐらいです。

公園の 入いり口ぐちに 大おおきな 鳥居とりいが あります。あれは 明治神宮めいじじんぐうの 鳥居です。

公園の 中なかを 歩あるきました。道みちの 両側りょうがわに 大きな 木きが あります。とても 静しずかです。東京とうきょうの 中に こんな 静かな 場所ばしょが あります。

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

午後ごごは 神社じんじゃに 行きました。神社で おまいりを しました。それから、おみくじを 引ひきました。わたしの おみくじは 「小吉」でした。友だちの おみくじは 「大吉」でした。

三さんじから 四よんじまで 池いけの 近ちかくで 休やすみました。池に 鯉こいが たくさん いました。赤あかい 鯉と 白しろい 鯉が いました。

五ごじに 公園を 出でました。駅えきまで 歩あるいて、電車でんしゃで 帰かえりました。

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

明治神宮めいじじんぐう — 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.

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

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

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

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