kono machi de shizuka ni kurashimashita.

location particle

Breakdown of kono machi de shizuka ni kurashimashita.

• この: this
• 町まち: town
• 静しずか に: quietly

Questions & Answers about kono machi de shizuka ni kurashimashita.

Why is it この町 and not このの町?

この is a demonstrative determiner, like this in English. It directly modifies a noun, so it goes straight before 町.

• この町 = this town
• not このの町

You use の when one noun connects to another noun, but この is not a noun here. It is already a word that attaches directly to a noun.

Compare:

• この町 = this town
• 私の町 = my town

So この works more like this, while 私 needs の to connect to 町.

What does で mean in this sentence?

Here, で marks the place where an action happens.

• この町で暮らしました = lived in this town

Even though English often uses in for location, Japanese uses different particles depending on the type of expression:

• に often marks existence or destination
• で often marks the place where an action takes place

Since 暮らす describes the activity or act of living one’s life, で is natural here.

For example:

• この町に住んでいます = I live in this town
• この町で暮らしています = I am living my life in this town

Both can be translated similarly, but the nuance is a little different.