Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha sizukana tokoro de yasumimasu.

は marks the topic of the sentence: what you’re talking about. It’s written は but pronounced “wa” when used as the topic particle. 私は sets “I/me” as the topic. Using が instead would emphasize “I (as opposed to someone else),” which isn’t needed in a neutral statement like this.

Why is it 静かな and not 静か or 静かです?

静か is a na-adjective. Before a noun, na-adjectives take な: 静かなところ = “quiet place.”

Predicate: このところは静かです。
Attributive (before a noun): 静かなところ
Don’t say 静かですところ.

What does ところ mean here, and how is it different from 場所?

Here ところ means “place/spot.” Compared with 場所:

ところ: broader and more “type-of-place” or context-dependent; very common in speech.
場所: more concrete/explicit “location.”
Both 静かなところ and 静かな場所 are fine; nuance is minor.

Why is the particle で used and not に?

で marks the location where an action takes place. 休む is an action (“to rest”), so you rest “at/in” a place: ところで.
に is for destinations/goals or existence (行く/来る/ある/いる) and is not used for the place of an action like this. (Very literary Japanese sometimes uses に with 休む, but stick with で.)

Is this the ところで that means “by the way”?

No. In your sentence it’s ところ + で (noun + location particle). The discourse marker ところで (“by the way”) appears at the start of a new topic and isn’t followed by a verb describing an action location.

Can I omit 私?

Yes. Japanese often drops the topic when it’s clear from context. 静かなところで休みます。 is perfectly natural. Keep 私 if you need to emphasize or clarify who the subject is.

Can I say 静かな場所 instead? Any nuance?

Yes: 静かな場所で休みます is natural. 場所 sounds a bit more concrete and neutral; ところ is slightly more casual and flexible. Both are common.

How do you read the sentence?

わたしはしずかなところでやすみます.
Romaji: watashi wa shizuka-na tokoro de yasumimasu.
Note: the topic particle は is pronounced “wa.”

What tense/politeness is 休みます? How do I say past or negative?

休みます is polite non-past. It can mean a habitual action (“I rest…”) or a near-future plan (“I will rest…”).

Past: 休みました
Negative: 休みません
Past negative: 休みませんでした

Does 休む mean “to sleep”?

Primarily it means “to rest,” “to take a break,” or “to be absent (from work/school).” For “to sleep,” use 寝る. Related expressions:

お休みなさい: “Good night.”
お休みします: humble/polite “I will be absent” or “I’ll retire for the night.”

What’s the difference between 休む and 休憩する?

休む: broad “rest,” including taking time off or being absent.
休憩する: specifically “to take a break” (usually a short, planned break).
Both can fit: ここで休みます / ここで休憩します.

What’s the difference between 静かに and 静かな here?

静かに (adverb): “quietly.” Describes manner. Example: 静かに休みます = “I will rest quietly.”
静かな (adjective before a noun): “quiet.” Describes a noun. 静かなところ = “a quiet place.”
Your sentence focuses on location, not manner.

Why not 静かのところ?

Na-adjectives use な before a noun, not の. So it’s 静かなところ, not 静かのところ. (Some words can take の as a linker, but 静か doesn’t in standard modern usage.)

Can I change the word order?

The natural order is Topic + modifiers + Verb: 私は静かなところで休みます.
You can front the place for emphasis: 静かなところで私は休みます, but the original order is more neutral.

When would I use では after ところ?

では adds contrast or sets a conditional frame:

静かなところでは休めますが、うるさいところでは休めません。
In a simple statement with no contrast, use で.

Should I write ところ in kanji (所)?

Both ところ and 所 are acceptable. Many writers use kana (ところ) especially when ところ has grammatical/abstract senses. For a literal place, either is fine.

How do I say “I’m resting right now” in a quiet place?

Use the progressive: 今、静かなところで休んでいます。