Expert: Tai Yamanaka - 9/12/2009

Question
Hello Yamanaka さん
    I know it's the wrong category, but the expert on the Japanese language is currently on vacation, so I decided to ask you. Hope you understand.
   I'm currently studying Japanese at middle school. There's this one thing that our teacher taught us about really long ago, but I still don't really understand now- the differences between "に someplace" and "で someplace". Can you tell me about a few of the main differences? Plus another quick question- is the katakana form of "を" ever used?
   Thanks.

Answer
Hello Matty,
Thank you for your question.

The difference in the use of "ni" and "de" that are particles that show place happens with the difference in the characteristics of the verbs that are used.

This is the rule that verbs that express states take "ni", while verbs that express motion take "de".

Let's take the example of "de" someplace.

For example, while we may say "koen de kodomoga asonde imashita" or "koen de asobimasu", we don't say "koen ni kodomo ga asonde imashita" or "koen ni asobimasu". The reason being that the verb "asobu" is one where the motion continues. "Koen de tennis wo suru", "Koen de hito wo matsu" are valid, while "koen ni tennis wo suru" or "koen ni hito wo matsu" are not.

The next example is "ni" someplace.

"Koen ni kodomo ga tatte imashita" "Mon no mae ni kuruma ga tomatte imashita". The verbs in these cases, "tatsu" and "tomaru" express motion that ends shortly, and one where the results of the motion continue. Therefore these verbs take the particle "ni".

While we say "koen ni kodomo ga imasu", we don't say "koen de kodomo ga imasu". This is also because the verb "iru" indicates a state.

Is this useful? Since I am not a language expert, I suggest you ask the language expert for further clarification once she/he returns from vacation.

Best regards,