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Learn Japanese: de - method/means particle

Japanese
/The location particles に and で
/de

de

Word

でde

Meaning

method/means particle

Part of speech

case particle

Pronunciation

Course

Lesson

The location particles に and で

Usages of de

私わたしたち　は　二ふた人り　で　テレビ　を　見みました。watashitachi wa futari de terebi o mimashita.

The two of us watched TV together.

彼かの女じょ　は　一ひと人り　で　アパート　に　住すんで　いる。kanojo wa hitori de apaato ni sunde iru.

She lives alone in an apartment.

Sentence from tatoeba

ボールペン　で　書きます。

Nihon-shiki romanizationwatasi ha tyuugoku kara kimasita

Hepburn romanizationwatashi wa chuugoku kara kimashita

か

boorupen de kakimasu.

I write with a ballpoint pen.

タクシー　で　映えい画が館かん　へ　行いきました。takushii de eigakan e ikimashita.

(We) went to the cinema by cab.

彼かれ　は　読どく書しょ　の　しすぎ　で　目め　を　痛いためた。kare wa dokusho no shisugi de me o itameta.

He strained (his) eyes by reading too much.

Sentence from Tatoeba

鼻はな　で　息いき　を　して　いて　ください。hana de iki o shite ite kudasai.

Please breathe through (your) nose.

Sentence from Tatoeba

鼻はな　で　息いき　が　できない。hana de iki ga dekinai.

(I) can't breathe through my nose.

Sentence from Tatoeba

鼻はな　で　息いき　を　すること　が　できない。hana de iki o surukoto ga dekinai.

(I) can't breathe through my nose.

汽き車しゃ　で　旅りょ行こうするの　が　好すき。kisha de ryokousuruno ga suki.

(I) like traveling by steam train.

箸はし　で　食たべるの　が　余あまり　上じょう手ず　じゃ　ない。hashi de taberuno ga amari jouzu ja nai.

(I)'m not very good at eating with chopsticks.

電でん気き　ストーブ　で　部へ屋や中ぢゅう　に　熱ねつ　が　広ひろがった。denki sutoobu de heyajuu ni netsu ga hirogatta.

Heat was spread throughout the room by the electric stove.

https://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/show/124854

一ひと晩ばん　で　その　本ほん　を　全ぜん部ぶ　読よんだ。hitoban de sono hon o zenbu yonda.

(I) read the whole book in one evening.

箸はし　で　食たべるの　が　好すき。hashi de taberuno ga suki.

I like eating with chopsticks.

あの　先せん生せい　の　授じゅ業ぎょう　は　難むずかしい　です。　宿しゅく題だい　は　日に本ほん語ご　で　書かかない　と　いけない。ano sensei no jugyou wa muzukashii desu. shukudai wa nihongo de kakanai to ikenai.

That teacher’s class is hard. The homework has to be written in Japanese.

車くるま　で　行いきました。kuruma de ikimashita.

(I) went by car.

電でん車しゃ　か　バス　で　行いきます。densha ka basu de ikimasu.

I will go either by train or by bus.

ステッカー　は　水みず　で　取とれました。sutekkaa wa mizu de toremashita.

The sticker came off with water.

ナイフ　で　肉にく　を　切きりました。naifu de niku o kirimashita.

I cut the meat with a knife.

電でん車しゃ　で　行いく　方ほう　が　いい。densha de iku hou ga ii.

It's better to go by train. ^emphatic

都と心しん　まで　電でん車しゃ　で　三さん十じゅっ分ぷん　かかります。toshin made densha de sanjuppun kakarimasu.

It takes thirty minutes by train to get to the city center.

祖そ父ふ　は　七なな十じゅっ歳さい　で　亡なくなった。sofu wa nanajussai de nakunatta.

My grandfather passed away at the age of seventy.

この　ウイルス　は　空くう気き中ちゅう　で　広ひろがります。kono uirusu wa kuukichuu de hirogarimasu.

This virus spreads through the air.

日に本ほん語ご　で　手て紙がみ　を　書かいたこと　が　ある。nihongo de tegami o kaitakoto ga aru.

I have written a letter in Japanese before.

飛ひ行こう機き　で　旅りょ行こうしたこと　が　ない。hikouki de ryokoushitakoto ga nai.

I haven't (ever) traveled by an airplane.

エレベーター　で　六ろっ階かい　に　行いって　ください。erebeetaa de rokkai ni itte kudasai.

Please go to the sixth floor by elevator.

鉛えん筆ぴつ　で　名な前まえ　を　書かいて　ください。enpitsu de namae o kaite kudasai.

Please write your name with a pencil.

飛ひ行こう機き　に　乗のれなくて、　電でん車しゃ　で　行いきました。hikouki ni norenakute, densha de ikimashita.

I couldn't take the airplane and went by train.

で　出で来きて　いるde dekite iru

Usually written using only hiragana

テープ　で　箱はこ　を　閉しめた。teepu de hako o shimeta.

I closed the box with tape.

この　テープレコーダー　は　電でん池ち　で　動うごく。kono teepurekoodaa wa denchi de ugoku.

This tape recorder runs on batteries.

テープレコーダー　で　外がい国こく語ご　を　学まなぶ。teepurekoodaa de gaikokugo o manabu.

I learn foreign languages using a tape recorder.

この　書類しょるい　は　コピー　で　いい　です　か？kono shorui wa kopii de ii desu ka?

Is a copy of this document okay?

The particle で functions as a means or method marker here, indicating the manner or state of the document. It is used to ask if being in the form of a copy is acceptable or sufficient for the purpose at hand.

彼かの女じょ　は　細ほそい　声こえ　で　話はなした。kanojo wa hosoi koe de hanashita.

She spoke in a thin voice.

家いえ　に　着ついた　後あと　で、　電でん話わして　ください。ie ni tsuita ato de, denwashite kudasai.

Please call (me) after you arrive home.

初はじめて　一ひと人り　で　旅りょ行こうしました。hajimete hitori de ryokoushimashita.

I traveled alone for the first time.

マッチ　で　キャンドル　に　火ひ　を　つけました。matchi de kyandoru ni hi o tsukemashita.

I lit the candle with a match.

万まん年ねん筆ひつ　で　手て紙がみ　を　書かきます。mannenhitsu de tegami o kakimasu.

I write letters with a fountain pen.

靴くつ　を　脱ぬいで　家いえ　に　入はいります。kutsu o nuide ie ni hairimasu.

I take off my shoes before entering the house.

自じ分ぶん　でjibun de

by himself; by herself

大おお勢ぜい　で　パーティー　を　楽たのしみました。oozei de paatii o tanoshimimashita.

We enjoyed the party with a large crowd.

インターネット　で　買かい物もの　を　しました。intaanetto de kaimono o shimashita.

I did my shopping on the internet.

クレジット　カード　で　払はらえます　か？kurejitto kaado de haraemasu ka?

Can I pay with a credit card?

荷に物もつ　を　郵ゆう便びん　で　送おくります。nimotsu o yuubin de okurimasu.

I will send the package by mail.

学がっ校こう　の　イベント　で　みんな　で　踊おどりました。gakkou no ibento de minna de odorimashita.

We all danced at the school event.

学がっ校こう　が　遠とおく　なければ、　自じ転てん車しゃ　で　行いきます。gakkou ga tooku nakereba, jitensha de ikimasu.

If the school isn’t far, I’ll go by bicycle.

空そら　は　雲くも　で　いっぱい　です。sora wa kumo de ippai desu.

The sky is full of clouds.

バス　が　人ひと　で　いっぱい　に　なった。basu ga hito de ippai ni natta.

The bus became full of people.

大おおきな　声こえ　で　話はなして　すみません　でした。ookina koe de hanashite sumimasen deshita.

I'm sorry for speaking loudly.

サンダル　で　ビーチ　に　行いきました。sandaru de biichi ni ikimashita.

I went to the beach in sandals.

幸しあわせ　は　お金かね　で　は　買かえない。shiawase wa okane de wa kaenai.

Happiness can't be bought with money.

The second は here acts as a contrast marker, indicating that even though money can't make you happy, other things might.

みんな　で　新しん年ねん　を　お祝いわいしました。minna de shinnen o oiwaishimashita.

We all celebrated the New Year together.

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