What is “de” in Japanese?
“De” is a very widely-used particle in the Japanese language. Native speakers use it mainly in the seven different ways: indicating a means to do something; starting a new sentence; indicating where someone does something; indicate how long someone needs to do something; indicating a state in which someone or something is; indicating a cause; making the subject in a sentence.
In this blog post, I will explain each type of “de” in detail with an example sentence. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “de” and how to use it more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
- “De” to indicate a means to do something
- “De” to start a new sentence
- “De” to indicate where someone does something
- “De” to indicate how long someone needs to do something
- “De” to indicate a state in which someone or something is
- “De” to indicate a cause
- “De” to make the subject word in a sentence
- Summary: “de” in Japanese
“De” to indicate a means to do something
Let me start with “de” used to indicate a means to do something.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a means to do something. This is often translated into English as “by”, “with”, or such.
Japanese native speakers use this type of “de” after a noun or noun equivalent word which refers to a means to do something. Word orders in Japanese and English are different, but the role of this type of “de” is really similar to those of “by” and “with” in English. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #1: how to indicate a means with “de”
watashi wa kuruma de kyoto made iku – 私は車で京都まで行く (わたしはくるまできょうとまでいく)
I will go to Kyoto by car.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “watashi” to make the subject word in the sentence.
- kuruma – 車 (くるま) : a noun meaning ‘car’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun. Learn more about Japanese plural.
- kyoto – 京都 (きょうと) : a noun meaning ‘Kyoto’ in Japanese.
- made – まで : an adverbial particle used to indicate a destination. In the example, this is used after “kyoto” to indicate the destination.
- iku – 行く (いく) : a verb meaning ‘to go’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “kuruma” to indicate the means which “watashi” uses to go to Kyoto. The phrase, “kuruma de”, is often used in Japanese conversations to mean ‘by car’, so it’s worth knowing.
“De” to start a new sentence
Next, let me explain “de” used to start a new sentence.
- de – で : a conjunction used to start a new sentence. This is often translated into English as “and”, “then”, or such. This is used mainly in speaking.
To tell the truth, this is not a particle, but a conjunction. Japanese native speakers, however, quite often use this in daily conversations, so let me explain here. They use this “de” at the beginning of a sentence which follows what someone said just before. The role of this “de” is similar to those of “and” and “then” in English. In a way, it can work to connect a new sentence to the preceding one with making a chronological order. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #2: how to start a new sentence with “de”
de, kuruma wa doko? – で、車はどこ？ (で、くるまはどこ)
And, where is the car?
Below is the new word used in the example sentence.
- doko – どこ : an indefinite demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘where’ in Japanese. Native speakers often use this to make ‘where’ questions in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works at the beginning of the sentence which follows what someone said just before – the Example #1. When we want to start a new sentence with adding the meaning of ‘and’ or ‘then’ in Japanese, this “de” is very helpful.
“De” to indicate where someone does something
Next, let me explain “de” used to indicate where someone does something.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun to indicate where someone does something. This is often translated into English as “at”, “in”, or such.
Japanese native speakers use this type of “de” after a noun referring to a place to indicate where someone does something. Word orders in Japanese and English are different, but the role of this type of “de” is very similar to those of “at” and “in” in English. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #3: how to indicate where someone does something with “de”
watashi tachi wa kyoto de jinja ni it ta – 私達は京都で神社に行った (わたしたちはきょうとでじんじゃにいった)
We visited shrines in Kyoto.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- tachi – 達 (たち) : a suffix used after a noun or pronoun to make its plural form. In the example, this is used after “watashi” to make its plural form, “watashi tachi”, which means ‘we’ in Japanese.
- jinja – 神社 (じんじゃ) : a noun meaning ‘shrine’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun.
- ni – に : a case particle used to say where someone or something goes. In the example, this is used after “jinja” to say where “watashi tachi” visited in Kyoto.
- it – 行っ (いっ) : one conjugation of the verb, “iku”, which means ‘to go’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. In the example, this is used after “it” to make its past tense form, “it ta”.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “kyoto” to indicate the place where “watashi tachi” visited shrines. Again, but this “de” works to indicate where someone does something in Japanese. It requires an action. We need to be careful with the fact that it cannot work well to indicate where someone or something is. Just being there is not an action.
“De” to indicate how long someone needs to do something
Next, let me explain “de” used to indicate how long someone needs to do something.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun to indicate how long someone needs to do something. This is often translated into English as “in”, “for”, or such.
Japanese native speakers use this type of “de” after a noun referring to a time period to indicate how long someone needs to do something. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #4: how to indicate how long someone needs to do something with “de”
go fun de soko ni tsuku – 五分でそこに着く (ごふんでそこにつく)
We’ll be there in five minutes.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- go – 五 (ご) : a numeral meaning ‘five’ in Japanese.
- fun – 分 (ふん) : a counter for minutes.
- soko – そこ : a demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘there’ in Japanese.
- tsuku – 着く (つく) : a verb meaning ‘to arrive’, ‘to get [somewhere]’, or such in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “go fun” to indicate how long “we” needs to get “there”. When we want to indicate how long someone needs to do something in Japanese, this “de” is very useful.
“De” to indicate a state in which someone or something is
Next, let me explain “de” used to indicate a state in which someone or something is.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a state in which someone or something is. This is often translated into English as “in”, “as”, “on”, or such.
Japanese native speakers use this type of “de” after a noun or noun equivalent word referring to a state in which someone or something is. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #5: how to indicate a state in which something is with “de”
kare wa osake wo atsukan de nomu – 彼はお酒を熱燗で飲む (かれはおさけをあつかんでのむ)
He drinks warmed sake.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
- osake – お酒 (おさけ) : the polite form of “sake” which means ‘Japanese sake’ in Japanese.
- wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “osake” to make the object word in the sentence.
- atsukan – 熱燗 (あつかん) : a noun meaning ‘warmed sake’ or ‘hot sake’ in Japanese. This can also refer to its state of being hot.
- nomu – 飲む (のむ) : a verb meaning ‘to drink’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “atsukan” to indicate the state in which “osake” is. The English sentence above is just “he drinks warmed sake”, but the original meaning of the Japanese sentence is more like “he drinks sake in a hot state”. When we want to indicate a state in which someone or something is in Japanese, this “de” is very useful.
“De” to indicate a cause
Next, let me explain “de” used to indicate a cause.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a cause. This is often translated into English as “because”, “by”, or such.
Japanese native speakers use this type of “de” after a noun or noun equivalent word which refers to a cause. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #6: how to indicate a cause with “de”
ame de totemo samui – 雨でとても寒い (あめでとてもさむい)
It’s very cold because of the rain.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- ame – 雨 (あめ) : a noun meaning ‘rain’ in Japanese.
- totemo – とても : an adverb of degree meaning ‘very’, ‘much’, or such in Japanese.
- samui – 寒い (さむい) : an i-adjective meaning ‘cold’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “ame” to indicate the cause of being cold. When we want to indicate a cause in Japanese, this “de” is a very good option. It’s also worth mentioning that this “de” still seems to have the same concept as the one indicating a means to do something. “Ame” in the example sentence can be considered as the means to make the temperature cold.
“De” to make the subject word in a sentence
Lastly, let me explain “de” used to make the subject word in a sentence.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to make the subject word in a sentence.
Japanese native speakers occasionally use this type of “de” after a noun or noun equivalent word to make the subject word in a sentence. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.
Example #7: how to make the subject in a sentence with “de”
watashi tachi de kuruma wo unten shi ta – 私達で車を運転した (わたしたちでくるまをうんてんした)
We drove the car.
Below is the new word used in the example sentence.
- unten shi – 運転し (うんてんし) : one conjugation of the verb, “unten suru”, which means ‘to drive’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
This is a typical usage of this type of “de”. In the example, it works after “watashi tachi” to make the subject in the sentence. Compared to the other particles used to make the subject in a sentence, this “de” is a bit special. It requires the special context. In the example sentence above, “watashi tachi” has become the subject due to “de”, but can also be considered as the means to move the car. Conversely, when the noun expected to be the subject in a sentence can be considered as a means to do something, “de” can fit with that sentence.
Summary: “de” in Japanese
In this blog post, I’ve explained the seven different types of “de”. Let me summarize them as follows.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a means to do something. This is often translated into English as “by”, “with”, or such.
- de – で : a conjunction used to start a new sentence. This is often translated into English as “and”, “then”, or such. This is used mainly in speaking.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun to indicate where someone does something. This is often translated into English as “at”, “in”, or such.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun to indicate how long someone needs to do something. This is often translated into English as “in”, “for”, or such.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a state in which someone or something is. This is often translated into English as “in”, “as”, “on”, or such.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to indicate a cause. This is often translated into English as “because”, “by”, or such.
- de – で : a case particle used after a noun or noun equivalent word to make the subject word in a sentence.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
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