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Particle ni and de 2017/3/30 00:19
Hi, I am confused with some particles.

For 会う, why is it どこで会う, and not どこに会う? I heard that 会う uses に for its particle.

Also, is there a rule so as to know which verb uses を and which use に?

Hope someone can help me on this, as I'm currently self learning japanese. Thank you.
by Bryan (guest)  

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/30 11:35
(location)で 会う
(person) に 会う (meet/see someone) or (person)と会う (meet up with someone)
(time)に 会う

So you can have a sentence like:
あした 2じに ともだちと としょかんで 会います (I am going to meet up with a friend at 2 o'clock tomorrow at the library.)
by AK rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/30 13:07
place+(で) at the place
place+(に) to the place

I met him at the place. わたしは、そこ(で)かれにあった。
I go to the place to meet him. わたしは、かれにあうために、そこ(に)いく。
by biwakoman rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/30 16:13
Thanks you all!

By the way, is there a rule regarding whether the particle for the verb is に or を? Or is it just purely memorising and experience to know which verb goes with に and which goes with を?

by Bryan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/30 19:31
I wonder in what kind of sentences/context you had difficulty with "ni" and "wo"?

"Wo" is often used to mark the direct object of a verb:
- きょう ひるごはんに すしを たべました。(Today for lunch I had/ate sushi.)
- わたしは にほんごの ほんを よみます。 (I read Japanese books.)
...where "すし" and "ほん" are the direct objects of the verb "たべます" and "よみます."

There are additional uses (maybe not "direct object" in the English language, but the concept applies:
- さんちょうを めざして あるきました。(We walked aiming (at) the summit.)
- しんごうで みちを わたって ください。(Please cross the road at the traffic light.)

Also when you move/wander "through" a place, that can take a "wo."
- まいにち こうえんを さんぽします。(I take walks in the park every day.)


"Ni" has many different usages, thus is used in different patterns with different verbs.
(1) (Place/location) "ni": destination or direction
- わたしは まいにち がっこうに いきます。(I go TO school every day.)
- その かどを みぎに まがって ください。 (Please turn TO the right at that corner.)
(2) (Action) "ni": purpose
- デパートに かいものに いきます。(I go to the department store FOR shopping.)
(3) (person) "ni": meeting/seeing people
- きのう、むかしの ともだちに あいました。(Yesterday I saw/bumped into an old friend.)
(4) (person) "ni": Indirect object "ni"
- がっこうで せんせいに しつもんを しました。(At school I asked a question TO the teacher.)
- あした、りょこうの しゃしんを ともだちに みせます。(Tomorrow I will show my travel photos TO my friend.)
...to name a few typical ones.
by AK rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/31 15:34
My confusion kinda came from the example,

電車に乗ります。 where 乗ります uses the particle に before it, isn't the train the direct object and hence use を?

So I'm wondering if there are others like this, and if there is any rule governing whether the verb takes a に or を.
by Bryan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/31 17:29
乗る is 自動詞, intransitive verb, not 他動詞, transitive verb.
transitive verb of 乗る is 乗せる.

another example is 立つ and 立てる.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Particle ni and de 2017/3/31 17:42
Bryan,
The concept of direct object in English grammar is not always in line with the Japanese grammar. In Japanese, "get on the train" is an act of "getting ONTO a train," with a sense of movement or direction, thus takes "ni" for destination or direction.
by AK rate this post as useful

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