KANAKUMA

JLPT N5 · Particles: roles and direction

場所に

Marks existence location or movement goal

Meaning

Marks existence location or movement goal.

Formation

  1. Existence: place + に + ある / いる / 住む
  2. Destination: place + に + 行く / 来る / 帰る / 入る

When to use it

Core use
Marks existence location or movement goal

Examples

13 sentences

  • 机つくえの上うえに本ほんがあります

    There is a book on the desk.

  • 東京とうきょうに住んすんでいます

    I live in Tokyo.

  • この棚たなに本ほんを置いておいてください

    Please put the books on this shelf.

  • 図書館としょかんに本ほんがあります

    There are books in the library.

  • 公園こうえんに子どもこどもがいます

    There are children in the park.

  • 駅えきに友達ともだちがいます

    My friend is at the station.

  • 七時しちじに駅えきに着きますつきます

    I will arrive at the station at seven.

  • 部屋へやに入ってはいってください

    Please come into the room.

5 more examples

  • 部屋へやに猫ねこがいます

    There is a cat in the room.

  • 庭にわに大きなおおきな木きがあります

    There is a large tree in the garden.

  • かばんの中なかに鍵かぎがあります

    The key is in the bag.

  • 駅えきでタクシーに乗りましたのりました

    I got into a taxi at the station.

  • 去年きょねん日本にほんに来ましたきました

    I came to Japan last year.

Important notes

  • に marks where something exists and where movement ends: 学校にいる, 学校に行く. Actions performed at a place take で: 学校で勉強する. Verbs of placing or entering take に for the point where something ends up: 棚に置く, 部屋に入る.

Common mistakes

  • Do not replace に with で just because English uses 'in' for both. Leaving a place takes を: 部屋を出る, not 部屋に出る.

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

  1. 部屋へやに猫ねこがいます
  2. かばんの中なかに鍵かぎがあります
  3. 去年きょねん日本にほんに来ましたきました

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