French and Japanese both mark relationships, but they place their markers differently.
The idea
French prepositions usually precede a noun: à l’école. Japanese particles follow it: 学校で marks where an action happens, while 学校に marks a destination. With あります, に marks where something exists. を marks the direct object; と marks a companion. French à can correspond to different particles depending on the verb and meaning.
| Particle | Role |
|---|---|
| で | action location |
| に | destination / location of existence |
| を | direct object |
| と | companion |
Examples
- 私は学校で日本語を勉強します。I study Japanese at school.
- 明日、学校に行きます。I will go to school tomorrow.
- 机の上に本があります。There is a book on the desk.
- 友達とカフェで話します。I talk with a friend at a café.
- 先生に質問をします。I ask the teacher a question.
- 家から駅まで歩きます。I walk from home to the station.
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Watch out
Do not translate à mechanically as に: studying at school uses で, whereas going to school uses に.
Try it yourself
学校＿日本語を勉強します。（で／に）
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で
で marks the place where studying happens.
学校＿行きます。（で／に）
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に
に marks the destination of going.
本＿読みます。（を／に）
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を
を marks the book as the object of reading.
友達＿話します。（と／を）
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と
と marks the person accompanying the speaker in conversation.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
学校＿日本語を勉強します。（で／に）
学校＿行きます。（で／に）
本＿読みます。（を／に）
友達＿話します。（と／を）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Choose the particle for each sentence, then explain its role.