Both に (ni) and で (de) can appear after a place name, so it is easy to confuse them. The key is to look at what the sentence describes: where someone or something is, or where an action takes place.
This beginner guide uses everyday and travel examples to explain the difference. You will also see how に marks a destination and で marks a means of transport.
At a glance: に and で
| What you want to describe | Particle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Where someone or something is | に | 先生は学校にいます。 The teacher is at school. |
| Where an action takes place | で | 学校で日本語を勉強します。 I study Japanese at school. |
| The destination of a journey | に | 明日、京都に行きます。 I’m going to Kyoto tomorrow. |
| A means of transport | で | 電車で京都に行きます。 I’m going to Kyoto by train. |
1. Use に for the location of a person or thing
With います and あります, the location is usually marked by に. Use います mainly for people and animals, and あります for things.
部屋に猫がいます。
There is a cat in the room.
駅の前にコンビニがあります。
There is a convenience store in front of the station.
If you are looking for someone, you can ask 田中さんはどこにいますか。 (“Where is Tanaka?”). You are asking about their location, so use に.
2. Use で for the place where an action happens
With actions such as 食べます (eat), 買います (buy) and 勉強します (study), use で to say where the action takes place.
レストランで昼ご飯を食べます。
I eat lunch at a restaurant.
コンビニで水を買います。
I buy water at a convenience store.
家で日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese at home.
3. Compare two sentences about the same place
図書館にいます。
I am at the library.
図書館で本を読みます。
I read books at the library.
The place is the same, but the meaning is different. The first sentence tells us where someone is; the second tells us where they read. Choose the particle by thinking about the verb and the meaning of the whole sentence.
4. Use に and で when travelling
バスでホテルに行きます。
I’m going to the hotel by bus.
Both particles can appear in one sentence. バスで describes the means of transport, while ホテルに describes the destination. Do not choose a particle just by looking at the noun: ask what role that noun plays in the sentence.
に can also mark a specific time, as in 7時に起きます。 (“I get up at seven”). Time expressions such as 明日 (tomorrow) and 毎日 (every day) usually do not take に. Treat this as a separate use from location.
Quick practice: which particle fits?
Try filling in the gaps before checking the answers.
- 公園（ ）子どもがいます。
There are children in the park. - カフェ（ ）コーヒーを飲みます。
I drink coffee at a café. - 電車（ ）大阪（ ）行きます。
I’m going to Osaka by train. - 机の上（ ）本があります。
There is a book on the desk.
Show answers and explanations
- に — the sentence tells us where the children are.
- で — the café is where the action of drinking takes place.
- で / に — the train is the means of transport; Osaka is the destination.
- に — the sentence describes the location of the book.
Next step: write about your own day
Write one sentence saying where you are, then another saying what you do there. For example: 家にいます。家で日本語を勉強します。 (“I’m at home. I study Japanese at home.”) Practising with familiar situations helps you use the particles beyond memorising a rule.
Would you like a teacher to explain grammar in English and help you use it in conversation? Explore our online Japanese courses and private lessons.
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