The Japanese particle に (ni) is one of the most versatile particles in the language. It is used to show time, destination, location, purpose, indirect objects, existence, and more. Because of its wide range of functions, mastering に is essential for speaking natural Japanese.

1. に for Time (Specific Time Points)

に marks a specific time when something happens.

You use に only with specific times, not with general time words.

Pattern:

[Time] + に + [Action]

Examples:

- ３じにいく。 → Sanji ni iku. → “I go at 3 o’clock.”

- にちようびにあう。 → Nichiyoubi ni au. → “I meet on Sunday.”

Don’t use に with “today / tomorrow / yesterday” because they are not specific points.

2. に for Destination (Direction)

に marks the destination or target of movement verbs.

Pattern:

[Place] + に + [Move Verb]

Examples:

- がっこうにいく。 → Gakkou ni iku. → “I go to school.”

- にほんにくる。 → Nihon ni kuru. → “Come to Japan.”

3. に for Existential Location (Where Something Exists)

に shows the location where something or someone exists.

Used mainly with: ある, いる

Examples:

- つくえのうえにほんがあります。

Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.

“There is a book on the desk.”

- ねこにいぬがいます。

Neko ni inu ga imasu.

“There is a dog at the cat’s place.”

4. に for Purpose (to do something)

Used with verbs like いく, くる, かえる to show purpose of movement.

Equivalent to “to do ~”.

Pattern:

[Verb Stem] + に + [Movement Verb]

Examples:

- べんきょうしにいく。 → “Go to study.”

- かいものにいく。 → “Go to shop.”

5. に for Receiver / Indirect Object

Used when someone receives something or someone gives something.

Common verbs: あげる, もらう, あたえる, いう

Examples:

- ともだちにぷれぜんとをあげる。

“I give a present to my friend.”

- せんせいにきく。

“Ask the teacher.”

6. に for Result / Outcome

Used to show what something becomes, changes into, or ends up as.

Examples:

- いしゃになります。 → “I will become a doctor.”

- じしょにします。 → “I’ll choose the dictionary.”

7. に for Frequency

に after a number shows how often something happens.

Pattern:

[Period] + に + [Number of times]

Examples:

- いっかげつにいっかい。 → “Once a month.”

- いちにちにさんかい。 → “Three times a day.”

8. に for Purpose of Nouns (for / at / in)

に can attach to nouns to indicate purpose or relation.

Examples:

- しごとにひつよう。 → “Necessary for work.”

- がくせいにべんり。 → “Convenient for students.”

9. に with Condition / Fixed Expressions

Used in many set phrases.

Examples:

- 〜ことになる → “It turns out that…”

- 〜ことにする → “I decide to…”

Comparison: に (ni) vs へ (e)

Both に and へ mean “to”, but:

- に = exact destination (school, office, Japan)

- へ = direction (toward)

Example:

- がっこうにいく → Going to school

- がっこうへいく → Going toward school (more general)

Conclusion

The particle に (ni) has many important roles in Japanese grammar, including marking time, location, destination, purpose, frequency, and receivers. Learning each usage through examples will help you understand sentences more naturally and use Japanese more confidently.

Japanese Particle に (Ni): Full Guide With Meanings and Examples