Learn Hardcore Japanese: tosyokan no naka de nihongo wo benkyousimasu.

図書館で日本語を勉強します。
– “I study Japanese at the library.”
The place is the library in general; it often implies inside, but it’s not spelled out.
図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– “I study Japanese inside the library.”
This explicitly emphasizes being inside rather than, for example, in front of the library, in the library café outside, etc.

So 中 adds the specific nuance of inside.

What is the role of で in this sentence?

で marks the place where an action happens.

図書館の中で = inside the library (as the location where the studying happens)
日本語を勉強します = (I) study Japanese

So the pattern is:

[Place]で [Action]

Examples:

学校で勉強します。 – I study at school.
家でテレビを見ます。 – I watch TV at home.

What is the difference between で and に for places? Could we say 図書館の中に日本語を勉強します?

You cannot say 図書館の中に日本語を勉強します; that’s incorrect.

Basic rule for places:

に marks:
- destination: 図書館に行きます。 – I go to the library.
- existence: 図書館に本があります。 – There is a book in the library.
- sometimes the point in time.
で marks:
- place where an action is performed:
  図書館で勉強します。 – I study at the library.

Since 勉強する is an action happening at a place, we use で, not に.

Why is there no subject like “I” (私) in this sentence?

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

English: I study Japanese inside the library.
Japanese: (私は) 図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。

私は is understood from the situation (who is speaking, what was said before), so it can be left out. If you want to be explicit, you can say:

私は図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。

But in natural Japanese, repeatedly saying 私は…私は… can sound overly heavy or childlike unless there is a reason to emphasize “I.”

What does を do after 日本語?

を marks the direct object of the verb – the thing that receives the action.

日本語を勉強します。
– “(I) study Japanese.”
(日本語 is what is being studied.)

General pattern:

[Object]を [Verb]

Examples:

本を読みます。 – I read a book.
音楽を聞きます。 – I listen to music.

So 日本語を = Japanese (as the thing being studied).

Could we say 日本語が勉強します instead of 日本語を勉強します?

No, 日本語が勉強します is wrong.

が normally marks the subject.
を marks the direct object.

Here, 勉強する means “to study (something)”, so:

Subject (often omitted): 私 (I)
Object: 日本語 (Japanese language)

So we need:

私は日本語を勉強します。

Using が instead would turn 日本語 into the subject, which doesn’t fit the meaning.

What exactly is 勉強します? Is 勉強 a noun or a verb?

勉強します is the polite present/future form of the verb 勉強する (to study).

勉強 by itself is a noun: “study,” “studying.”
する is a verb: “to do.”
Together 勉強する = “to do study” → “to study.”

In polite form:

勉強する → 勉強します

So the sentence uses the ます-form, which is the normal polite style in textbooks and everyday conversations with people you’re not very close to.

Does 勉強します mean “study,” “am studying,” or “will study”?

All are possible; Japanese non-past form covers both present and future.

勉強します can mean:

“I study” (habitually)
“I am going to study” / “I will study”
“I study” (a planned action)

Context or time words clarify it:

毎日図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– I study Japanese inside the library every day. (habit)
明日、図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– Tomorrow, I will study Japanese inside the library. (future plan)

Why is 中 read なか here and not ちゅう?

The kanji 中 has multiple readings:

なか (native Japanese reading, 訓読み) – means “inside,” “middle,” used as a standalone noun or simple phrase:
- かばんの中 (かばんのなか) – inside the bag
- 図書館の中 (としょかんのなか) – inside the library
ちゅう (Chinese-based reading, 音読み) – often used when it directly attaches to another word to form a compound, like:
- 授業中 (じゅぎょうちゅう) – during class / in class
- 会議中 (かいぎちゅう) – in a meeting

In 図書館の中で, 中 is a regular noun “inside,” so it’s read なか.

How do you pronounce each part of the sentence?

Readings:

図書館 – としょかん (toshokan)
の – の (no)
中 – なか (naka)
で – で (de)
日本語 – にほんご (nihongo)
を – を (in modern pronunciation usually お, but written を)
勉強します – べんきょうします (benkyō shimasu)

Full sentence:

としょかんのなかでにほんごをべんきょうします。

Why is there no word for “a” or “the” in 図書館?

Japanese does not have articles like English “a/an” or “the.”

図書館 can mean:
- “a library”
- “the library”
- “libraries” (in some contexts)

Which one is intended is understood from context or additional information:

学校の図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– I study Japanese inside the school library.
図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– I study Japanese inside a/the library.

English must choose; Japanese doesn’t.

Is the word order fixed? Can we move things around?

Japanese word order is relatively flexible because particles show each word’s role. The basic order is:

(Topic) は / が + [Place]で + [Object]を + [Verb]

So the natural version is:

図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。

But you can move elements for emphasis, as long as particles stay attached:

日本語を図書館の中で勉強します。
(Still “I study Japanese inside the library,” with a bit more emphasis on 日本語.)

You cannot move the verb away from the end:

✕ 勉強します図書館の中で日本語を。 (incorrect)

Verb must stay at or near the end.

Should there be a は (topic marker) somewhere in the sentence?

It’s optional, depending on what you want to emphasize or on the broader context.

Possible versions:

私は図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– Topic: I. (As for me, I study Japanese inside the library.)
図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
– No explicit topic; often understood as “I” or whoever is in context.
図書館の中では日本語を勉強します。
– で
- は = では adds contrast, like
  “Inside the library (at least), I study Japanese” (implying maybe somewhere else you do something different).

The original sentence is natural as-is; は is not required.

Is 勉強します polite? How would this change in casual speech?

Yes, 勉強します is the standard polite form (ます-form).

In casual speech (with friends, family, etc.), you usually use the dictionary/plain form:

Polite: 図書館の中で日本語を勉強します。
Casual: 図書館の中で日本語を勉強する。

Same meaning; only the politeness level changes.