Contrast Japanese_particles

1 contrast

1.1 は wa , が ga
1.2 に ni , で de
1.3 に ni , へ e
1.4 が ga , を o
1.5 に ni , と to
1.6 や ya , と to
1.7 historical particles

contrast
は wa , が ga


に ni , で de

ni , de can both used show location, corresponding prepositions in or @ in english. uses mutually exclusive.

ni, when used show location, used stative verbs such iru, be, exist; aru, be, exist, have; , sumu, live, inhabit.

日本に住んでいる。 (nihon-ni sunde iru., live in japan. )
学校にいる。 (gakkō-ni iru., in school. )

de used action verbs convey place of action, opposed location of being.

学校で寝る。 (gakkō-de neru., sleep in/at school. )
*gakkō-ni neru. * sleep school, not used.

に ni , へ e

ni , e can both indicate direction of motion, meaning or @ in english. in sense, e perhaps closer english towards in terms of use (see example below). long ni used directionally, possible substitute e in place. ni used in other senses cannot replaced e:

学校に行く。 (gakkō ni iku., m going school ), 学校 gakkō, school, destination of 行く iku, go.
gakkō e iku. m going school, gakkō, school, destination of iku, go.


学校にいる。 (gakkō ni iru., m @ school ), 学校 gakkō, school, location of いる iru, be; not destination.
*gakkō e iru. * m school, not possible construction since not verb of motion.


友達に会う。 (tomodachi ni au, ll meet friends ) 友達 tomodachi, friends, indirect object of 会う au, meet; not destination.
*tomodachi e au * ll meet friends, impossible because meet not verb of motion.


本を買いに行った。 (hon o kai ni itta, went buy book ), 買いに kai ni, buy, shows purpose or intent, , verbal adverb; not destination.
*hon o kai e itta * went towards buying book, not possible because kai, buying, cannot destination.

indicating direction, using e instead of ni preferred when ni used non-directionally in proximity:

友達に会いに京都へ行った。 (tomodachi ni ai ni kyōto e itta., went kyoto meet friends. )

が ga , を o

in cases, ga , o interchangeable. example, tai form, meaning want , possible either of following:

ご飯が食べたい。 (gohan ga tabetai., want eat rice. )
ご飯を食べたい。 (gohan o tabetai., want eat rice. )

similarly, 好き suki, na adjective meaning liked , can take either ga or o:

君が好きだ。 (kimi ga suki da, )
君を好きでよかった (kimi o suki de yokatta, m glad ) (words popular song)

に ni , と to

ni , interchangeable in forms になる ni naru , となる naru. ni naru form suggests natural change, whereas naru suggests change final stage.

や ya , と to

ya used incomplete lists, whereas used complete ones.

historical particles

い used in old japanese , kanbun works. meaning still debated, has traditionally been considered emphatic.