Introduction
The Japanese particle で (de) is one of the trickiest points for learners. Textbooks often introduce it first as a particle that marks a place where an action happens. However, in real Japanese, it has many other important functions.
In English, these different ideas are usually expressed with many prepositions: at, in, by, with, under, of, from, and more. Japanese, however, often uses a single particle で to cover all of them.
In this article, we will go through the main uses of 「で」 with plenty of examples, detailed explanations, and some tips for avoiding common mistakes.
Main Uses of 「で」
(1) Place
「で」 marks the place where an action happens.
This often corresponds to at or in in English. It is not limited to physical locations but can also describe a “situation” or “setting.”
For the difference of に, で, and へ, see also this article.
- 公園(こうえん)で走(はし)ります。
(I run in the park.) - 図書館(としょかん)で勉強(べんきょう)します。
(I study at the library.)
Tip: Be careful with the difference between 「に」 and 「で」.
- 学校(がっこう)に行(い)きます。 (I go to school — destination)
- 学校(がっこう)で勉強(べんきょう)します。 (I study at school — location of the action)
(2) Means, Method, and Tools
「で」 marks the means, method, or tool used to perform an action.
This covers transportation, language, instruments, and more.
- バスで行(い)きます。
(I go by bus.) - 日本語(にほんご)で説明(せつめい)します。
(I explain in Japanese.) - ナイフで肉(にく)を切(き)ります。
(I cut meat with a knife.)
Tip:
In English, you would say by bus, in Japanese, with a knife. Japanese unifies all of these with 「で」.
(3) Material or Ingredient
「で」 shows what something is made from.
- 木(き)で椅子(いす)を作(つく)ります。
(I make a chair out of wood.) - 小麦粉(こむぎこ)でパンを作(つく)ります。
(I make bread from flour.)
Tip:
In English, you distinguish between of and from.
In Japanese, both cases are expressed with the single particle 「で」.
(4) Category or Range
「で」 can also indicate being within a group, category, or range when choosing or ranking something. This is similar to in in English, but it does not always refer to a physical place—it expresses the idea of being inside a set.
- ジブリで好(す)きなのは『ハウルの動(うご)く城(しろ)』だよ。
(My favorite Ghibli film is Howl’s Moving Castle.) - 日本(にほん)の湖(みずうみ)で一番(いちばん)大(おお)きいのは琵琶湖(びわこ)だ。
(The biggest lake in Japan is Lake Biwa.)
Tip:
You can often replace this with 「の中(なか)で」.
For example: ジブリの中(なか)で好(す)きなのは… = ジブリで好(す)きなのは…
(5) Numbers, Amounts, Time, and Speed
「で」 can also describe numbers, amounts, time needed, or speed — basically, measurable conditions.
- 三人(さんにん)で旅行(りょこう)します。
(We travel as three people.) - 会計(かいけい)は五人(ごにん)で一万円(いちまんえん)だ。
(The bill is 10,000 yen for five people / split among five people.) - 一時間(いちじかん)で終(お)わります。
(It will finish in one hour / It takes one hour.) - 高速道路(こうそくどうろ)では時速(じそく)80kmで走(はし)ることができる。
(On the highway, you can drive at 80 km/h.)
Tip:
- 「人数(にんずう)で」 = doing something together as that number of people OR dividing among that number.
- 「時間(じかん)で」 = the amount of time it takes to finish something.
Example: 一時間(いちじかん)で作(つく)りました = It took me one hour to make it. - Similarly, you can use 「で」 with speed or money to describe the condition of the action.
Final Thoughts
The particle 「で」 may look simple, but it actually covers a wide range of meanings:
- Place (where)
- Means, method, tool (how, with what)
- Material (made from)
- Category/range (within which, among)
- Numbers, amounts, time, speed (with how many, how much, how long, at what speed)
In short, 「で」 indicates the environment, basis, or standard in which an action or statement takes place.
In English, these ideas are divided into many words (at, in, by, with, of, from, etc.), but Japanese often uses just one particle: で.
So instead of memorizing 「で」 only as “place,” it’s best to learn it as a versatile particle that sets the conditions or context for an action.