Japanese · conversational locations

ばしょ

go somewhere · be somewhere · do something somewhere

に・で

The load-bearing split

Choose the particle from the verb. Are you moving to a destination, simply existing there, or doing an action there?

Destination · に

こうえんにいきます。

I go to the park. Use に with いく and かえる.

Existence · に

かいしゃにいます。

I'm at work. Use に with いる / います.

Action place · で

こうえんでバスケットボールをします。

I play basketball at the park. Use で where an action happens.

Home is special: “go home” normally uses いえにかえる, not いえにいく. かえる means “return home.”

かたち

Top line in each cell is formal. Bottom line is casual. Read across one row, then say all six forms without looking.

Place	I'm going	I'm at	I went

はなす

Meaning	Formal	Casual
Let's go to the gym.	ジムにいきましょう。jimu ni ikimashou.	ジムにいこう。jimu ni ikou.
Do you want to go to the gym?	ジムにいきませんか。jimu ni ikimasen ka.	ジムにいかない？jimu ni ikanai?
Where are you going?	どこにいきますか。doko ni ikimasu ka.	どこいくの？doko iku no?
Where did you go?	どこにいきましたか。doko ni ikimashita ka.	どこいったの？doko itta no?
Where are you?	どこにいますか。doko ni imasu ka.	どこにいる？doko ni iru?
Where do you play basketball?	どこでバスケットボールをしますか。doko de basuketto booru o shimasu ka.	どこでバスケットボールする？doko de basuketto booru suru?

いきますikimasugo / will go · formal

いくikugo / will go · casual

いきましたikimashitawent · formal

いったittawent · casual

いきましょうikimashoulet's go · formal

いこうikoulet's go · casual

いきませんかikimasen kawant to go? · formal invitation

いかない？ikanai?wanna go? · casual invitation

いきませんikimasendo not go · formal

いかないikanaido not go · casual

いきませんでしたikimasen deshitadid not go · formal

いかなかったikanakattadid not go · casual

Sound change: the casual past of いく is いった, not “いいた.” Lock this one in as a unit.

ことば

かいわ

Read the Japanese aloud first. Tap each line only after you have guessed its meaning.

れんしゅう

Nothing in the card label gives away the answer. Say the full answer aloud, including the particle and the correct register, before checking.