Particle で (De)

Question 1

1. Location of Action

Answer 1

Marks where an action takes place (not for existence, which uses に).

Structure:
[Place] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
学校で勉強します
Gakkou de benkyou shimasu
I study at school

Question 2

2. Means or Method

Answer 2

Indicates the tool, method, or means used to perform an action.

Structure:
[Tool/Method] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
電車で行きます
Densha de ikimasu
I go by train

日本語で話してください
Nihongo de hanashite kudasai
Please speak in Japanese

Question 3

3. Cause or Reason

Answer 3

Indicates the cause or reason behind something.

Structure:
[Cause] + で [Result]

Examples:
病気で学校を休みました
Byouki de gakkou o yasumimashita
I was absent from school because of illness

地震でビルが壊れた
Jishin de biru ga kowareta
The building collapsed due to the earthquake

Question 4

4. Material or Composition

Answer 4

Indicates the material something is made from.

Structure:
[Material] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
木で椅子を作ります
Ki de isu o tsukurimasu
I will make a chair out of wood

このスープは豆腐で作りました
Kono suupu wa toufu de tsukurimashita
This soup was made with tofu

Question 5

5. Limit or Range

Answer 5

Indicates a limit, range, or scope of an action.

Structure:
[Limit] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
この仕事は1時間で終わります
Kono shigoto wa ichi jikan de owarimasu
This work will be finished in one hour

千円で買いました
Sen en de kaimashita
I bought it for 1000 yen

Question 6

6. Group or Participants

Answer 6

Marks a group of people acting together.

Structure:
[Group] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
友達で映画を見ました
Tomodachi de eiga o mimashita
I watched a movie with friends

家族で旅行に行きます
Kazoku de ryokou ni ikimasu
We are going on a trip as a family

Question 7

7. State or Condition

Answer 7

Describes the state or condition in which an action occurs.

Structure:
[State/Condition] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
元気で頑張ってください
Genki de ganbatte kudasai
Please do your best while staying healthy

一人で行きます
Hitori de ikimasu
I will go alone

Question 8

8. Time Period as a Whole

Answer 8

Used when referring to an entire time period (not a specific point in time).

Structure:
[Time Period] + で [Action Verb]

Examples:
夏休みで旅行に行きました
Natsu yasumi de ryokou ni ikimashita
I went on a trip during summer vacation

大学生活でたくさんの友達を作りました
Daigaku seikatsu de takusan no tomodachi o tsukurimashita
I made many friends during college life

Question 9

9. Fixed Expressions

Answer 9

で appears in certain set expressions that don’t follow strict grammatical rules.

Examples:
それで？
Sore de?
And then? / So what?

以上で終わります
Ijou de owarimasu
That concludes it