Linguaで is the place where something happens
Two particles mark a place and they are not interchangeable. に says where something exists or where you are going; で says where an action is carried out. としょかんにいます is being in the library, としょかんでべんきょうします is studying there. The test is the verb: if it is an action, take で; if it is existence or arrival, take に.
| Sentence | Particle | Why |
|---|---|---|
| としょかんでべんきょうします | で | an action happens there |
| としょかんにいます | に | existence in a place |
| としょかんへいきます | へ | movement towards it |
| ともだちとみます | と | the person you do it with |
The past is one syllable away
ます becomes ました for the past and ません becomes ませんでした. Nothing else in the sentence changes, and no auxiliary is added: たべます eat, たべました ate, たべません do not eat, たべませんでした did not eat. Four forms cover every polite verb in the language, and they are the same four for every verb without exception.
きのうはうちでほんをよみましたYesterday I read a book at home.
どようびはうちでえいがをみますOn Saturday I watch a film at home.
Words in this lesson
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| で | at (a place of action) | としょかんでべんきょうします I study at the library. |
| と | with (a person) | ともだちとえいがをみます I watch a film with a friend. |
| ました | polite past ending | きのうえいがをみました I watched a film yesterday. |
| ませんでした | polite past negative | きのうはどこへもいきませんでした I did not go anywhere yesterday. |
| うち | home, one's own house | うちへともだちがきます A friend is coming to my house. |
| べんきょう | study | にほんごのべんきょうはたのしいです Studying Japanese is enjoyable. |
| あそびます | to play, to spend time | こうえんであそびました I played in the park. |
| つくります | to make, to cook | まいばんりょうりをつくります I cook every evening. |
| はなします | to speak | にほんごではなします I speak in Japanese. |
| だれと | with whom | だれとおひるをたべますか Who are you having lunch with? |
Exercises
This lesson has 10 exercises in the app:
- multiple choice: 3
- match the pairs: 1
- fill the gap: 2
- build the sentence: 2
- translate the sentence: 1
- listen and type: 1
Try the first one
Which particle marks the place where an action is carried out?
The answer, the other exercises, the audio and your progress are in the app – free at A0 and A1.