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ginkou de atarasii yokinkouza wo tukurimasita.

銀行ぎんこう　で　新あたらしい　預金口座よきんこうざ　を　作つくりました。ginkou de atarasii yokinkouza wo tukurimasita.
I opened a new bank account at the bank.
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Questions & Answers about ginkou de atarasii yokinkouza wo tukurimasita.

Why is で used after 銀行 instead of に?

で marks the location where an action takes place.

  • 銀行で = at the bank (place where you did the action)
  • 新しい預金口座を作りました = (I) opened a new bank account

So the whole thing is: 銀行で (at the bank) 新しい預金口座を作りました (I opened a new deposit account).

If you used 銀行に, it would normally emphasize movement or destination:

  • 銀行に行きました。 = I went to the bank.
  • 銀行に勤めています。 = I work at a bank. (destination/affiliation idea)

For doing something at a place, use で.

Where is the subject “I” in this sentence?

Japanese often omits the subject if it’s clear from context.

銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました。 literally has no subject explicitly stated. In a typical conversation, it will be understood as:

  • (私は) 銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました。
    = I opened a new bank account at the bank.

You only add 私(わたし)は when you need to clarify or contrast. In many everyday sentences, Japanese prefers to leave out pronouns like I, you, etc.

Why is を used before 作りました?

を marks the direct object of the verb – the thing that is acted upon.

  • 預金口座 = a deposit account
  • 預金口座を作りました = (I) made/opened a deposit account

So the structure is:

  • [場所]で [目的語]を [動詞]ました。
    = At [place], (I) [verb]-ed [object].

Here: 銀行で (場所) + 新しい預金口座を (目的語) + 作りました (動詞).

Why is 新しい before 預金口座? Can it come after like in English?

In Japanese, adjectives normally come before the noun they modify.

  • 新しい預金口座 = a new bank account
  • 新しい is an い-adjective meaning new.

Unlike English, you cannot put an adjective after the noun in simple form:

  • ❌ 預金口座新しい (wrong)
  • ✅ 新しい預金口座 (correct)

If you really want the adjective after the noun, you must make a relative clause, which changes the nuance:

  • 新しい預金口座を作りました。
    = I opened a new bank account.
  • 作った預金口座は新しいです。
    = The account (that I opened) is new.
What is the difference between 口座 and 預金口座?
  • 口座 (こうざ) = account (in general, often bank account)
  • 預金口座 (よきんこうざ) = deposit account, more specific

In many everyday situations, 口座 alone is enough:

  • 銀行口座を作りました。
  • 新しい口座を開きました。

預金口座 emphasizes that it’s a deposit account, as opposed to, say, a securities account or credit account. In normal conversation, 銀行口座 or just 口座 is very common and natural.

Why is the verb 作りました used? Don’t people usually say 口座を開く?

Both can be used, but there is a nuance:

  • 口座を作る
    • Literally: to make/create an account
    • Common in everyday speech, a bit casual-sounding
  • 口座を開く
    • Literally: to open an account
    • Sounds a bit more formal or “correct”, and is often used by banks themselves

So you could also say:

  • 銀行で新しい預金口座を開きました。

This would sound very natural, especially in written or formal contexts.
作る is still understandable and commonly heard in conversation.

Why is the verb in past tense 作りました instead of 作ります?

Japanese has two basic tenses: non-past and past.

  • 作ります = non-past (present/future, or habitual)
    • I make / I will make / I usually make
  • 作りました = past
    • I made / I opened (already done)

In this sentence, you’re talking about a completed action in the past, so 作りました is appropriate:

  • 昨日、銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました。
    = Yesterday, I opened a new bank account at the bank.
What is the level of politeness of 作りました? How is it different from 作った?
  • 作りました is the polite past form (ます-form).
  • 作った is the plain past form (dictionary/short form).

Use 作りました:

  • when talking to strangers, teachers, customers, or anyone you should be polite to
  • in most formal or neutral situations

Use 作った:

  • with friends, family, or people of lower status
  • in casual conversation, diaries, inner monologue, etc.

So:

  • 銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました。 (polite)
  • 銀行で新しい預金口座を作った。 (casual)
Can I change the word order, like 新しい預金口座を銀行で作りました。? Does it sound strange?

That sentence is grammatically correct and natural.

Both are fine:

  • 銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました。
  • 新しい預金口座を銀行で作りました。

Japanese word order is flexible as long as particles (で, を, etc.) are correct and the verb is at the end.

The default, neutral order is often:

  • [Time] + [Place] + [Object] + [Verb]

So 銀行で新しい預金口座を作りました feels a bit more conventional, but the other version is perfectly acceptable and may emphasize the new account a bit more.

Could I say 銀行では新しい預金口座を作りました? What does は after で change?

[ANSWERANSWER]
Yes, you can say:

  • 銀行では新しい預金口座を作りました。

Here, では combines で (place marker) and は (topic/contrast marker).

This often adds a contrastive nuance, like:

  • At the bank, I opened a new account (but somewhere else I did something different).
  • As for at the bank, what I did was open a new account.

You’d use では when contrasting with other places or other activities, or when continuing a longer explanation. For a simple statement with no contrast, 銀行で is more neutral.

How do you read and pronounce 預金口座 and what are the kanji meanings?

Reading:

  • 預金口座 = よきんこうざ
    • よ (yo)
    • きん (kin)
    • こう (kou)
    • ざ (za)

Kanji meanings (roughly):

  • 預: to deposit, to entrust
  • 金: money
  • 口: mouth, opening, entrance (used in many compound words)
  • 座: seat, place

Combined:

  • 預金 (よきん) = deposit (money you put in a bank)
  • 口座 (こうざ) = account

So 預金口座 literally = deposit account.