De - Particle Flashcards
The first way de is often used is as:
Showing the instrument by which something is carried out, for this reason it is often translated to “by means of” when used in this way
くるまで いきました
She went by car
でんしゃで きました
She came by train
でんわで はなしました
She spoke by phone
なんで いきますか
What will she go by?
ジョンさんは フランスごで はなして います
John is speaking in french. (john is speaking by means of french)
The second way de is used is as:
A way to indicate where an action happens. we use ni to indicate something simple such as marking the location where the noun exists but de is used if something more interesting is happening, such as instead of just standing in the kitchen the person is reading there, in this case instead of ni we would use de
ジョンさんは えきで しんぶんを よみました
John read the newspaper at the station
へやで テレビを みました
I watched TV in (my) bedroom
まりこさんは アメリカで えいごを べんきょ しています
Mariko is studying English in America
いえの まえで くるまを そうじ しました
I cleaned the car in front of the house
Two of the main verbs ni when used for the existence of is used for instead of de are:
Sitting and Standing, this is because just sitting or standing somewhere is very close to just simply existing there rather than actively doing something
ni is still used for the directional sense
Dewa
Wa (ha) is generally translated as “as for” therefor dewa translates roughly to “as for in” this means dewa is used when you want to make a comment on how a place differs from other places.
アメリカは、 ひとは せが たかい
In America the people are tall
にほんでは、 ガソリンが たかい です
In Japan gasoline is expensive
