The Secret to 30+ Japanese Prepositions That Will Elevate Your Conversations

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A preposition is a phrase or phrase that reveals a relationship between phrases. There are over 100 prepositions in English, comparable to of, on, subsequent to, with, in, and from. They’re used to point every thing from path to time. Japanese prepositions work equally however in a unique phrase order. In some methods, they’re even simpler to study!

Prepositions are essential if you’re studying a brand new language. This information will take you thru what makes prepositions in Japanese totally different. We’ll introduce you to greater than 30 preposition equivalents with instance sentences to see them in the best context.

Are there prepositions in Japanese?

Sure and no. Japanese prepositions are literally often known as postpositions, however for comfort, we’ll often confer with them as prepositions. They carry out the identical operate as prepositions (as they’re each adpositions), and the one main distinction between them is the place the phrase is positioned in relation to the associated phrases it’s connecting. These linking phrases assist help the opposite important elements of speech in Japanese.

The “pre-” in preposition signifies that the preposition goes earlier than the phrase it’s complementing. For instance, contemplate this assertion with prepositions in daring:

• With languages, you might be at residence in all places.

“With” pairs with “languages,” whereas “at” pairs with “residence” and in each instances, they arrive earlier than the Japanese noun they’re connecting.

English additionally has a handful of postpositions. Evaluate this sentence with the earlier instance:

• I began finding out Japanese three years in the past.

Japanese solely makes use of prepositions like within the instance above. This makes direct translations to English troublesome, and it additionally leads to some overlap the place one Japanese postposition may be translated into a number of English prepositions. It’s additionally essential to notice that the Japanese language doesn’t use articles like “the” and “a.” Which means you gained’t want so as to add any further phrases surrounding the postpositions and the phrases they’re connecting.

Checklist of frequent Japanese prepositions

Many Japanese prepositions (or postpositions) are paired with a number of Japanese particles, so chances are you’ll discover some you acknowledge. That will help you get began, right here’s an entire listing of essentially the most important Japanese prepositions so that you can know.

Checklist of Japanese particles that act as postpositions

Particles may also act as postpositions on their very own. You’ll discover that lots of them equate to a couple of English preposition! Hold this listing of particles in thoughts as we discover tips on how to use them as prepositions.

The function of particle no in Japanese prepositions

The Japanese particle no (の) is seen in lots of prepositions, and it boils right down to a tough translation of “of.” It’s because the operate of particle no in Japanese grammar is to assign possession or description to the phrase after it primarily based on the phrase earlier than it.

We see this occur in a few methods:

• Saki no namae（咲の名前）= Saki’s title (alternatively: title of Saki)
• Eigo no sensei（英語の先生）= English trainer (alternatively: trainer of English)

Relying on the way it’s translated, the phrase “of” might or is probably not current, however the grammatical connection stays.

Describing location and place

Prepositions in Japanese that confer with a location observe a simple method utilizing particle no (の): [item] no [location].

• Basutei no mae（バス停の前）= In entrance of the bus cease
• Kasa no shita（傘の下）= Beneath the umbrella (alternatively: Below the umbrella)
• Nihon no minami（日本の南）= South of Japan

The way it’s translated varies as a result of the English expressions are usually not as formulaic, however this may make it simpler for you as you study Japanese.

Right here’s a chart of Japanese prepositions (or postpositions)  to explain location.

Whether or not you employ “at, “in,” or “on” (or none of them!) to additional describe the situation will change relying on the context and verb used, however particles de (で) and ni (に) are most typical.

Location utilizing particle ni

Particle ni is used to explain location when the verb is “to exist”: aru (ある) for inanimate objects and iru (いる) for animate objects. There are additionally different verbs that require the usage of ni, however they’re situational and fewer frequent.

• Hon wa kaban no naka ni arimasu.（本はかばんの中にあります。）= The guide is inside the bag. (Alternatively: The guide is in the bag.)
• Tomodachi no tonari ni suwarimasu.（友だちのとなりに座ります。）= I’m sitting subsequent to my good friend.

Location utilizing particle de

Except the sentence’s verb requires the usage of particle ni, particle de is used after the postposition to explain the place an motion is happening. 

• Neko wa mado no mae de neteimasu.（猫は窓の前で寝てります。）= The cat is sleeping in entrance of the window.
• Gakkō no soto de machimashita.（学校の外で待ちました。）= I waited outdoors of the college.

Describing motion

To explain motion with prepositions in Japanese, both a verb phrase with an related particle might be used (as seen within the first three rows of this chart) or a particle alone will suffice (as seen within the backside 4 rows of this chart).

The postposition for “alongside” or “alongside” makes use of the Japanese phrase “~ni sotte,” utilizing the te-form of the verb “to run alongside” (sou, 沿う).

• Kawa ni sotte sanpo shimashita.（川に沿って散歩しました。）= I took a stroll alongside the river.

Utilizing particles as postpositions is extra easy, as they observe the traditional guidelines for particle placement.

• Kōen kara eki made arukimashita.（公園から駅まで歩きました。）= I walked from the park to the station.
• Tomodachi e nimotsu o okurimashita.（友だちへ荷物を送りました。）= I despatched a bundle to my good friend.

Describing time

When it comes to Japanese prepositions and the place they’re positioned in a sentence, time and site work very equally. You’ll discover that particle no can also be important right here.

Utilizing the identical method as location, describing a common or relative time is finished by including no after the occasion or time adopted by the postposition (Japanese preposition).

• Bangohan no ato ni shukudai o shimasu.（晩ご飯の後に宿題をします。）= I’ll do my homework after dinner.
• Ichi jikan inai ni ie ni kaerimasu.（一時間以内に家に帰ります。）= I’ll go residence inside an hour.

Whether or not particle ni interprets as “at,” “on,” or “in” is dependent upon whether or not the sentence is describing a time or a date.

• Hachi ji ni hajimarimasu.（八時に始まります。）= It can begin at 8:00.
• Tsuitachi ni hajimarimasu.（一日に始まります。）= It can begin on the first.
• Gogatsu ni hajimarimasu.（五月に始まります。）= It can begin in Could.

Describing folks and conditions

Like motion, prepositions in Japanese about folks and conditions usually use a verb phrase with te-form or a lone particle. You possibly can see the similarities on this chart.

Individuals, occasions, and matters can all be hooked up to those phrases!

• Haha ni totte, kazoku wa taisetsu da.（母にとって、家族は大切だ。）= For my mom, household is essential. 
• Otōto wa seiseki ni tsuite nayandeiru.（弟は成績について悩んでいる。）= My little brother is anxious about his grades.

Particles are additionally easy for these postpositions, though de specifically is price noting due to its many translations.

• Tenki de shiai ga chūshi shimashita.（天気で試合が中止しました。）= The sport was canceled on account of climate.
• Kimu wa hashi de taberaremasu.（キムは箸で食べられます。）= Kim can eat with chopsticks.

Key takeaways about Japanese prepositions

Direct translations of Japanese postpositions to English prepositions may be difficult, however observe and immersion studying are the most effective methods to get accustomed to them. Begin with particles to get a really feel for a way they slot in a sentence, and construct as much as the extra advanced prepositions from there!

• Moderately than precise prepositions, Japanese has postpositions, which do the identical factor in a unique order.
• Some Japanese postpositions translate into a number of totally different English prepositions, which is why folks confer with them as Japanese prepositions.
• A number of Japanese particles additionally work as postpositions.