In this lesson, we will practice the usage of the particle “に” (ni) in Japanese, specifically focusing on its application related to time, days, and events. Understanding this particle is essential for constructing accurate sentences and expressing when actions take place. We will explore various contexts in which “に” is used, along with practical examples to enhance your learning experience. Let’s dive in and discover how “に” can help you communicate more effectively in Japanese!
Ni in Japanese
Unlike English, Japanese particles are simple when it comes to expressing days and times. When it relates to time, days, or events, we simply use the particle に (ni) in Japanese, which can be translated as “on,” “at,” or “in” in English.
Event
| On Christmas | クリスマスに | kurisumasu ni |
| On New Year’s Day | 年末年始（ねんまつねんし）に | nenmatsunenshi ni |
| On Halloween | ハロウィーンに | harouīn ni |
| On my birthday | 誕生日（たんじょうび）に | tanjōbi ni |
Example sentences:
クリスマスに、かぞくとばんごはんをたべました。 (kurisumasu ni, kazoku to bangohan o tabemashita)
English: On Christmas, I ate dinner with my family.
たんじょうびに、プレゼントをもらいました。(tanjōbi ni, purezento o moraimashita)
English: On my birthday, I received a present.
Time
| At 10 o’clock | 10時（じゅうじ）に | ju ji ni |
Example sentences:
きょう７じにおきました。(kyou shichi-ji ni okimashita)
English: I woke up at 7 o’clock today.
If you don’t know how to count time in Japanese, here is a list:
Days of the week
| On Wednesday | 水曜日（すいようび）に | sui yōbi ni |
Example sentences:
すいようびに、ともだちとレストランへいきます。(suiyōbi ni, tomodachi to resutoran e ikimasu)
English: I will go to a restaurant with my friend on Wednesday.
If you don’t know how to tell the days of the week in Japanese, here is a list:
Months
| In March | 3月（さんがつ）に | san gatsu ni |
Example sentences:
さんがつににほんへいきます。(san gatsu ni Nihon e ikimasu)
English: I will go to Japan in March.
If you don’t know how to tell the months in Japanese, here is a list:
Seasons
| In spring | 春（はる）に | haru ni |
| In summer | 夏（なつ）に | natsu ni |
| In autumn | 秋（あき）に | aki ni |
| In winter | 冬（ふゆ）に | fuyu ni |
Example sentences:
はるに、日本へ行きたいです。(haru ni, Nihon e ikitai desu)
English: I want to go to Japan in spring.
Holidays
| Weekend | 週末（しゅうまつ）に | shūmatsu ni |
| Summer vacation | 夏休み（なつやすみ）に | natsu yasumi ni |
Example sentences:
しゅうまつに、ともだちのうちへいきます。(sūmatsu ni, tomodachi no uchi e ikimasu)
English: I will go to my friend’s house on the weekend.
なつやすみに、にほんへいきます。(natsu yasumi ni, nihon e ikimasu)
English: I will go to Japan during summer vacation.
Years
| In 2024 | 2024年（にせんにじゅうよねん）に | ni sen ni ju yo nen ni |
Example sentences:
2024ねんに、パリでオリンピックがありました。(2024 nen ni, pari de orinpikku ga arimashita)
English: The Olympics took place in Paris in 2024.
1998ねんにうまれました。(1998 nen ni umaremashita)
English: I was born in 1998.
Here is a list of numbers in Japanese:
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