The Japanese particle で[de] is used in a wide range of contexts, but it is most commonly used after a phrase describing the location (where) of an action or the means (how) of completing an action.
スーパーで買い物をします。
Suupaa de kaimono o shimasu.
I will go shopping at the supermarket.
レンガで家を建てます。
Renga de ie o tatemasu.
I build a house using bricks.
In this post, we’ll look at when to use the particle で[de] and how it is used in different kinds of sentences. Let’s have a look!
The Japanese particle で[de] is used after a noun to create a range of different types of descriptive or modifying phrases. Phrases ending with で[de] can describe…
the location of an action
the material you used to make something
the means by which an action was completed
the period of time during which an action took place
the category from which a noun is drawn
the quantity of a noun
Let’s go through each of these uses and see some examples!
The particle で[de] may follow the location of an action.
ニセコでスキーをします。
Niseko de sukii o shimasu.
I ski in Niseko.
学校で日本語の勉強をします。
Gakkoo de nihongo no benkyou o shimasu.
I study Japanese at school.
私の家でパーティをします。
Watashi no uchi de pātii o shimasu.
We will have a party at my place.
We generally use で[de] when an action takes place entirely at one location, rather than when it travels from one place to another.
Sometimes, when movement takes place in one location, you’ll want to use を[o] instead.
✅ 道を歩く時は、車に気をつけてね。
Michi o aruku toki wa ki o tsukete ne.
Be careful of cars when you walk on the road, okay?
❌ 道で歩く時は、車に気をつけてね。
Michi de aruku toki wa ki o tsukete ne.
What’s the difference between the location particle で[de] and the location particle に[ni]? Where で[de] is used for static locations, に[ni] is usually used for actions that travel.
私の家でパーティをします。
Watashi no uchi de pātii o shimasu.
We will have a party at my place.
週末、友達の家に行きます。
Shūmatsu, tomodachi no ie ni ikimasu.
I’m going to my friend’s house this weekend.
The particle で[de] is used to express the material used to create something. Phrases like these are often used before the name of the object being created, which is itself marked by the particle を[o]. Here are some examples:
おりがみでツルをおります。
Origami de tsuru o orimasu.
I make a paper crane by [using] origami paper.
木でいすをつくります。
Ki de isu o tsukurimasu.
I make a chair by [using] wood.
レンガで家を建てます。
Renga de ie o tatemasu.
I build a house by [using] bricks.
The particle で[de] is used to specify the means by which an action is completed. This might include:
A means of transportation or method of travel.
バスで町に行きます。
Basu de machi ni ikimasu.
I go into town by bus.
A tool used to complete an action.
黒のペンで書いてください。
Kuro no pen de kaitekudasai.
Please write with a black pen.
The language someone speaks in.
英語で話してください。
Eigo de hanashite kudasai.
Could you please speak in English?
You can even think of the “material” use we went over above as part of this list: you use some material as the means of creating something!
Another function of the particle で[de] is to specify the time period during which some action or activity takes place and finishes. It’s a lot like using “in” or “within” + time in English.
Sometimes the action might take place any time within the time period before で[de]:
5分でシャワーをあびてください。
5 fun de shawaa o abite kudasai.
Please take a shower within 5 minutes.
１年でずいぶん日本語が上手になった。
Ichi nen de zuibun nihongo ga jouzu ni natta.
[My] Japanese got so much better over the course of one year.
Other times, it’s implied that the action will happen all at once, at the end of the time period:
あと３年で卒業だ。
Ato sannen de sotsugyou da.
I will graduate from school in three years.
１０分で電車がくるよ。
Juppun de densha ga kuru yo.
The train will come in 10 minutes.
Not all periods of time are followed by で[de], but the meaning will be slightly different without the particle. Compare:
１時間で宿題をします。
Ichi jikan de shukudai o shimasu.
I do homework within one hour.
１時間宿題をします。
Ichi jikan shukudai o shimasu.
I do homework for one hour.
In addition to quantities of time, the particle で[de] is also used after some other types of quantities. These quantities include:
The quantity of an item associated with a particular cost.
卵が１２個で２００円だ。
Tamago ga juuni ko de nihyaku en da.
It’s 200 yen for 12 eggs.
Tシャツが２枚で４０００円だった。
T-shatsu ga nimai de yon sen en datta.
It was 4000 yen for two T-shirts.
The speed at which something moves.
この道は５０km/hで運転してください。
Kono michi wa jisoku gojukkiro de unten shite kudasai.
Please drive this road at 50km/h.
The number of people engaged in an activity or event.
９人で野球をします。
Kyuunin de yakyuu o shimasu.
We play baseball with nine people.
Sometimes, the group isn’t described using a number, but using a word for the type of group engaged in the event.
週末に家族でキャンプに行きました。
Shuumatsu ni kazoku de kyanpu ni ikimashita.
I went camping with my family on the weekend.
一人で旅行するより、グループで旅行する方が楽しい。
Hitori de ryokou suru yori guruupu de ryokou suru houga tanoshii.
It’s better to travel in a group than by myself.
The particle で[de] can also be used in a sentence when you talk about a category that you’ve drawn something from. For example:
日本食で一番好きな食べ物はすしです。
Nihon shoku de ichiban sukina tabemono wa sushi desu.
Among all Japanese foods, my favorite is sushi.
家族で一番背が高いのはお兄さんです。
Kazoku de ichiban se ga takai no wa oniisan desu.
Among my family members, my brother is the tallest.
In this post, we went through the different functions of the particle で[de]. It can indicate the:
Place where something happens
Material something is made of
Means by which an action is carried out (transportation, languages, and tools)
Category out of which you select something
Period of time within which something occurs
Quantity, be it money, measurement, etc., or number of people engaged in an activity
If you want to sum all of that up, just remember that phrases ending in で[de] are mostly used to describe “where” and “how”!
Now, let’s now practice what we saw with some exercises on で[de]!
