Last minute question on particles!!

[jen4321]

Hey everyone I'm leaving at 3am to get a flight to london for the jlpt tomorrow, so today is the last i'll get to study and my grammer is still only around 70-75%

I'm making some notes in a little notebook to take with me so i can look over everything before the exam, mostly on particles and conjugation.

One thing that has me stumped is i keep getting ni and de mixed up. Im making notes on de at the moment and one of the examples is:

Indicates the mode or condition of the action:
hotori de kanada ni ikimasu.
jibun de kaisha wo tsukurimasu.

What does the mode or condition actually mean?
Is it how something is done?

Thanks a bunch if ya can help!

[tanitayou]

In your first ex. "DE" means " "alone" and indicates the "way" or "condition" for the action "Ikimasu" (I think there is a spelling mistake and the right word is "Hitori de").

In the second one " jibun de" means "by myself" and indicates the way you build your business, without any help or partners in it.

Ashitawa ganbattene....

[bd36576]

@jen4321

The best way I was taught many years ago was this GENERAL tip by a Japanese lady.

で　is typically used when the action is taking place "there"...almost like the way "at" is used in English.
i.e., He's eating AT his friend's house.

に is typically used as the preposition "to".
i.e., He's going TO his friends house to eat.

Again, this is general. Of course it gets more complicated as you learn more, but this may help you in a pinch.

がんばって！