KANAKUMA

JLPT N5 · Particles: roles and direction

相手／目的／結果に

Marks a recipient, purpose, or result

Meaning

Marks a recipient, purpose, or result.

Formation

  1. Recipient: person + に + あげる / 教える / 送る
  2. Result of a change: N + に + なる / する: 医者になりました
  3. Purpose of a trip: action noun + に + 行く / 来る: 買い物に行きます — I am going shopping. With a verb use the ます stem: 見に行きます (see 'Vます + に行く')

When to use it

Core use
Marks a recipient, purpose, or result

Examples

13 sentences

  • 友だちともだちに本ほんをあげます

    I will give a book to my friend.

  • 医者いしゃになりました

    I became a doctor.

  • 駅えきで先生せんせいに会いましたあいました

    I met my teacher at the station.

  • 私わたしは友達ともだちに青いあおいノートをあげました

    I gave my friend a blue notebook.

  • 国くにの母ははに電話でんわしました

    I called my mother back home.

  • 私わたしは兄あにに新しいあたらしい時計とけいをあげました

    I gave my older brother a new watch.

  • 私わたしは母ははに花はなをあげました

    I gave my mother flowers.

  • 私わたしは父ちちに日本にほんのお茶おちゃをあげました

    I gave my father Japanese tea.

5 more examples

  • 友達ともだちに手紙てがみを書きかきました

    I wrote a letter to my friend.

  • 弟おとうとに日本語にほんごを教えおしえます

    I teach my younger brother Japanese.

  • デパートへ買い物かいものに行きいきます

    I will go shopping at the department store.

  • 公園こうえんへ散歩さんぽに行きいきました

    I went to the park for a walk.

  • もうすぐ春はるになります

    It will soon be spring.

Important notes

  • に names the receiver of an action (友だちに送る), the result of a change (医者になる) or a unit of distribution (一日に三回). The final verb decides which one it is.

Common mistakes

  • 友達に会う and 友達と会う are both possible; と presents the meeting as arranged together. Do not treat every に as a receiver.

Check yourself

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

  1. 友達ともだちに手紙てがみを書きかきました
  2. デパートへ買い物かいものに行きいきます
  3. もうすぐ春はるになります

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