Colourful Japanese I.THE に PARTICLE

RÉKA TÓTH FARKAS, 2014

鈴花

The Knights of Ni!Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! And Ni!

The に (‘ni’) particle has seven distinct uses, but closely connected uses, depending

on the context.

While these seems to be very different on first sight, especially from a foreign view-

point, like all grammar, there is a very strong connecting theme, which, once realized,

makes this grammar easy to remember.

Please note also that bad English is purposefully used in the translation of certain sentences throughout the slides in order to better emphasis how the ‘Japanese

grammar logic’ works. This will help the learner avoid getting lost in the translation and

be better able to connect the grammatical structures.

0.

Pointing AT a time

That is in this case, the particle に ‘puts its finger onto’ that specificpoint in time AT which the verb takes place.

例文

９時に友達と会います・くじにともだちとあいます。

Ku ji NI tomodachi to aimasu(I) meet with (my) friend AT nine o’clock.

に = AT (time)

1.

Pointing TO a place I.

That is in this case, the particle に ‘points its finger to’ that specific

place TOWARDS which the verb takes place.

例文

学校に行きます。

がっこうにいきます。

gakkou NI ikimasu.

(I) go TO school.

に = TO (direction)

2.

Pointing TO a Place II.3.

に is now again ‘pointing to’ the specific place of an action, but this time telling us where the action should be done. In other words, now we are emphasizing the place for the verb.

例文

ここに名前を書いてください。

ここになまえをかいてください。

koko NI namae wo kaitekudasai.

Please write (your) name TO here.

に = TO (directed to)

Pointing AT an Object

Here, に is an indirect object marker.

This means that it now ‘points its finger at’ that specific person or thing towards which the verb is done.

例文

よく友達に手紙を書きます。

よくともだちにてがみをかきます。

yoku tomodachi NI tegami wo kakimasu.

(I) often write letters TO (my) friend.

に = AT (s.one, s.th.)

4.

Pointing AT Existence

Now, に ‘points to’ the specific place of existence, with the verbs used here being ONLY (が) ある (‘to be’ for non-living things) and (が) いる (‘to be’ for living things). With this we are essentially saying ‘s.th./s.one exists at a given place’.

例文

いすの上に猫がいます。

いすのうえにねこがいます。

isu no ue NI neko ga imasu.

(The) cat is AT (the) top of (the) chair.

に = AT (place of existence)

5.

Pointing FROM a Source6.

に = FROM

に is now ‘pointing to’ the specific source of an action, telling us where

the action is coming from.

例文

母にしかられた。

ははにしかられた。

haha NI shikarareta.

(I) was scolded FROM my mother.

Pointing AT the Time Interval of a Frequency

7.

This last meaning is probably the hardest one. Here, に is ‘pointing to’ the time interval in which the action takes place with a given frequency. It has the exact same meaning and use as the English ‘per’.

例文

一週間に三十時間働きます。

いっしゅかんにさんじゅんじかんはたらきます。

isshukan NI sanjuu jikan hatarakimasu.

(I) work 30 hours PER week.

に= PER

The Secret of The Terrifying に

From the wording I have used in the previous slides, you may have guessed by now what the underlying, connective theme between the usages of the Japanese particle にactually is.

に to describe it in the most general way, is used to 'point' a verb in different ways.

So the idea you have to remember when に is out to ‘terrify’ you again, is that it AWAYS gives a ‘PRECISE POINTING TO A PLACE/TIME WITH OR WITHOUT DIRECTION‘.

It is something like a fusion of the English prepositions ‘at’ and ‘to’.

If you remember this rule of thumb, things become much easier to both understand and to use.

8.

Thank you for your attention

The content of these slides, while some of the examples are from the source (see the following slide), are those I have gleaned from my own language learning experience and are written here not only to help me practice, but also, if possible, help others in learning Japanese as well.

As I am also learning Japanese, any and all feedback as to the contents of these slides would be greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to leaves comments or to contact me wherever I publish these slides online. I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism about my work.

9.

Source(s)

http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa090901a.htm