The Foundation: What is the Particle で (de)?
Of all the grammatical components that learners of Japanese encounter, particles (助詞, joshi) are perhaps the most crucial and, at times, the most challenging. These short words attach to nouns, verbs, adjectives, or clauses, indicating their relationship to the rest of the sentence. Read our particle guide if your not familiar with Japanese particles. Among Japanese particles, the particle で (de) stands out for the many ways to use it.
It can tell you where something happens, how it’s done, why it occurred, within what limits, and in what state. Furthermore, it functions as the glue that connects descriptive sentences. By looking at the noun before it and the verb after it, you can almost always deduce its function. Is an action taking place? It’s location. Is a tool being used? It’s means. Is it a reason for an event? It’s cause. Is it linking two ideas? Let’s find out how to use で.
While most Japanese particles can be summarized with a specific use, with で this is much more difficult. In short, you cannot characterize で in one way. It has all kinds of uses. While it can be translated into English in many ways, like for example:
- at
- on
- by
- with
- because of
- in
these translations depend entirely on the context. The key is not to memorize the English words but to understand the function で is performing. If you want to summarize, で, has three core uses. You can find more explanations on these below, including some other ways to use で.
- Location of Action: The “Where”
- Means, Method, or Instrument: The “How”
- Cause or Reason: The “Why”
Uses of で
Location of Action: The “Where”
This is often the first use of で that students learn. It marks the place or venue where a dynamic action takes place. The crucial word here is action. If you are describing an action or event happening, you use で.
図書館で勉強します
としょかんでべんきょうします
Toshokan de benkyō shimasu
I study at the library
図書館 (としょかん) = Library
で = marking where the action takes place
勉強します (べんきょうします) = To study
公園で友達と遊びました
こうえんでともだちとあそびました
Kōen de tomodachi to asobimashita
I played with my friends in the park
公園 (こうえん) = Park
友達 (ともだち) = Friends
で = marking where the action takes place
と = With
遊びました (あそびました) = Played (formale, past tense)
新しいレストランで食べましょう
あたらしいれすとらんでたべましょう
Atarashii resutoran de tabemashō
Let’s eat at the new restaurant
新しい (あたらしい) = New
レストラン (resutoran) = restaurant
で = marking where you are going to eat
食べましょう (たべましょう) = Let’s eat (volitional form)
Important Contrast: で (de) vs. に (ni) for Location
A common point of confusion is the difference between で (de) and に (ni) for marking location. The rule is simple:
- で (de) marks the location of an action verb.
- に (ni) marks the location of existence or destination. Verbs like います (imasu, to exist for animate things), あります (arimasu, to exist for inanimate things), and 住みます (sumimasu, to live) use に.
Compare these two sentences for example
銀行でお金をおろします
ぎんこうでおかねをおろします
Ginkō de okane o oroshimasu
I will withdraw money at the bank. (Action: withdrawing)
銀行 (ぎんこう) = Bank
で = Marks the location of an action
お金 (おかね) = Money
を = Direct object marker
おろします = To withdraw (polite_
銀行にいます
ぎんこうにいます
Ginkō ni imasu
I am at the bank (Existence: being)
銀行 (ぎんこう) = Bank
に = Marks the location of existence (more on に here)
います = To be, to exist (for animate objects
Means, Method, or Instrument: The “How”
The particle で is also used to indicate the tool, method, or means by which an action is performed. This usage often translates to “by,” “with,” “using,” or “on.”
By means of transportation
バスで学校に行きます
Basuでがっこうにいきます
Basu de gakkō ni ikimasu
I go to school by bus
バス (Basu) = Bus
で = Indicates the means o method
学校 (がっこう) = School
に = Indicates direction or destination
行きます (いきます) = To go (polite)
Tool for an Action
箸でご飯を食べます
はしでごはんをたべます
Hashi de gohan o tabemasu
I eat a meal with chopsticks
箸 (はし) = Chopsticks
で = Indicates the tool or instrument
ご飯 (ごはん) = Cooked rice or a meal
を = Direct object marker
食べます (たべます) = To eat (polite)
Medium of Communication
日本語で話してください
にほんごではなしてください
Nihongo de hanashite kudasai
Please speak in Japanese
日本語 (にほんご) = Japanese language
で = Indicates the medium or means
話してください (はなしてください) = Please speak
Resource for an Action
インターネットで調べます
Intānettoでしらべます
Intānetto de shirabemasu
I will look it up on the internet
インターネット (いんたーねっと) = Internet
で = Indicates the tool or resource
調べます (しらべます) = To look up / search (polite)
Cause or Reason: The “Why”
Less common than the first two uses but still vital, で can indicate the cause or reason for a state or event. It often points to an external, objective cause, frequently something uncontrollable or unexpected. While から (kara) and ので (node) also indicate reason, で is typically used for more direct, often negative, causes that result in a particular state.
Reason or Cause
病気で学校を休みました
びょうきでがっこうをやすみました
Byōki de gakkō o yasumimashita
I was absent from school due to illness
病気 (びょうき) = Sickness, illness
で = Indicates the reason or cause
学校 (がっこう) = School
を = Direct object marker
休みました (やすみました) = Was absent, rested (polite, past)
Reason or Cause
事故で電車が遅れました
じこででんしゃがおくれました
Jiko de densha ga okuremashita
The train was late due to an accident
事故 (じこ) = Accident
で = Indicates the reason or cause
電車 (でんしゃ) = Train
が = Subject marker
遅れました (おくれました) = Was late, was delayed (polite, past)
Reason or Cause
大雨で試合が中止になりました
おおあめでしあいがちゅうしになりました
Ōame de shiai ga chūshi ni narimashita
The game was cancelled due to heavy rain
大雨 (おおあめ) = Heavy rain
で = Indicates the reason or cause
試合 (しあい) = Game, match
が = Subject marker
中止になりました (ちゅうしになりました) = Became cancelled (polite)
Advanced and Special Situations
Beyond the three core functions, で appears in several other important grammatical patterns.
Scope or Range: “Within” a Group
で can define the scope or group within which a superlative or comparison is made. It sets the boundary for the statement.
|Scope of a Superlative
世界で一番高い山はエベレストです
せかいでいちばんたかいやまはエベレストです
Sekai de ichiban takai yama wa eberesuto desu
The tallest mountain in the world is Everest
世界 (せかい) = World
で = Indicates the scope or domain (“in”)
一番 (いちばん) = Number one, the most
高い (たかい) = Tall, high
山 (やま) = Mountain
は = Topic marker
エベレスト (えべれすと) = Everest
です = Is, am, are (polite)
Scope of a Superlative
このクラスで、誰が一番若いですか
このkurasuで、だれがいちばんわかいですか
Kono kurasu de, dare ga ichiban wakai desu ka
In this class, who is the youngest?
このクラス (このくらす) = This class
で = Indicates the scope or domain (“in”)
誰 (だれ) = Who
が = Subject marker
一番 (いちばん) = Number one, the most
若い (わかい) = Young
ですか (ですか) = “is it?” (polite question marker)
Time, Quantity, or Price Limit
で can specify the total amount of time, money, or people involved in completing an action.
Indicating a Time Limit
この仕事は三日で終わります
このしごとはみっかでおわります
Kono shigoto wa mikka de owarimasu
This work will be finished in three days
この仕事 (このしごと) = This work
は = Topic marker
三日 (みっか) = Three days
で = Indicates a time limit (“in”)
終わります (おわります) = To finish (polite form)
Indicating a Price
この本を千円で買いました
このほんをせんえんでかいました
Kono hon o sen’en de kaimashita
I bought this book for a thousand yen
この本 (このほん) = This book
を = Object marker
千円 (せんえん) = 1000 yen
で = Indicates the price (“for”)
買いました (かいました) = Bought (past, polite form)
Indicating the Number of People
二人で映画を見に行きました
ふたりでえいがをみにいきました
Futari de eiga o mi ni ikimashita
The two of us went to see a movie together
二人 (ふたり) = Two people
で = Indicates the number of people performing an action
映画 (えいが) = Movie
を = Object marker
見に (みに) = To see (purpose particle に)
行きました (いきました) = Went (past, polite form)
State or Condition
This usage describes the state or condition in which an action is performed.
Indicating a Solo Action
一人で来ました
ひとりできました
Hitori de kimashita
I came alone
一人 (ひとり) = One person, alone
で = Indicates the state/number of people (“as one person”)
来ました (きました) = Came (past, polite form)
Indicating a State or Condition
このままでいいです
このままでいいです
Kono mama de ii desu
It is fine as it is
このまま (このまま) = As it is, in this state, the way it is
で = Indicates the state or condition (“as”)
いいです (いいです) = Is good, is fine (polite form)
The Te-form of the Copula (です/だ)
This is arguably the most conceptually different use of で and a major source of confusion. In this case, で is not a particle but the conjunctive form (te-form) of the copula です (desu) or だ (da). So to be fair, if you want to learn about particles, you don’t have to learn this bit. But it is important to know that you can find で in other situations. In this case, it is used to link two or more sentences or clauses where the first clause ends with a noun or a na-adjective. It essentially functions like “and,” “and so,” or “being.”
How do you tell the difference between the particle で and the te-form? A particle で will always follow a noun and modify the main verb of the clause. The te-form で connects two separate clauses together, effectively acting as a conjunction.
Linking Nouns (te-form of です)
彼は医者で、奥さんは弁護士です
かれはいしゃで、おくさんはべんごしです
Kare wa isha de, okusan wa bengoshi desu
He is a doctor, and his wife is a lawyer
彼 (かれ) = He
は = Topic marker
医者 (いしゃ) = Doctor
で = Te-form of です, links two clauses (“is… and”)
奥さん (おくさん) = (Someone’s) wife
弁護士 (べんごし) = Lawyer
です = Is (polite)
Linking Na-adjectives
この町は静かで、とてもきれいです
このまちはしずかで、とてもきれいです
Kono machi wa shizuka de, totemo kirei desu
This town is quiet and very beautiful
この町 (このまち) = This town
は = Topic marker
静か (しずか) = Quiet (na-adjective)
で = Te-form for na-adjectives, links attributes (“is… and”)
とても = Very
きれい = Beautiful / Clean (na-adjective)
です = Is (polite)
Other instances in which you will find で
Combined Particles: で can combine with other particles, like も (mo) to form でも (demo) and は (wa) to form では (dewa).
どこでもいいです
Dokodemo ii desu
Anywhere is fine
どこ (どこ) = Where
でも (でも) = Grammatical particle that, after a question word, means “any…” or “no matter…”
いいです (いいです) = Is good, is fine (polite form)
日本では、お茶をよく飲みます
にほんでは、おちゃをよくのみます
Nihon de wa, ocha o yoku nomimasu
In Japan, people often drink tea
日本 (にほん) = Japan
では (では) = Particle で (locatie van actie) + は (topic-marker)
お茶 (おちゃ) = Tea
を = Object marker
よく = Often, frequently
飲みます (のみます) = To drink (polite form)
Formal Language: The formal and humble equivalent of です (desu) is でございます (de gozaimasu). You will hear this frequently from staff in hotels, high-end shops, and business settings. This is another example of で being part of the copula.
Negation: The phrase ではありません (dewa arimasen) or じゃないです (ja nai desu) is the standard way to negate “is”. The じゃ (ja) in the informal version is a contraction of では (dewa). This further shows how central で is to the Japanese copula.
学生ではありません
がくせいではありません
Gakusei dewa arimase
(I am) not a student
学生 (がくせい) = Student
ではありません (dewa arimasen) = Polite negation van です (desu); “is not”
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