Learn the advanced usages of the DE particle
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| Hi everybody! Hiroko here. Welcome to Ask a Teacher, where I’ll answer some of your most common Japanese questions. |
| The question for this lesson is…In the sentence, このプランで申し込みます(Kono puran de mōshikomimasu), why do you use the particle で(de) instead of を(o)? |
| Since を(o) marks the direct object in the sentence, many Japanese learners ask why で(de) is used in this sentence, instead. |
| Just like other particles in Japanese, で(de) has a few different meanings. One is when you choose something out of a list of choices. In the sentence, このプランで申し込みます(Kono puran de mōshikomimasu), the implication is that you chose this plan over other plans. For example, if you go to McDonald’s and decide on something from their list of options, you could say, エル（サイズ）で(eru (saizu) de), or more politely, エル（サイズ）でお願いします。(eru (saizu) de o-negai shimasu.) |
| Let’s go through some examples so you can learn how to use で(de) correctly. |
| A: 喫煙室と禁煙室がございます。(Kitsuen-shitsu to kin’en-shitsu ga gozaimasu.) |
| B: 禁煙で。(Kin’en de.) |
| A: “We have smoking rooms and non-smoking rooms.” |
| B:” Non-smoking (please).” |
| In this short conversation, you chose “non-smoking” out of the two options that were presented to you, so you need to use で(de) . |
| Let’s do another example-- |
| このコートをください。サイズはエム、色は白で。(Kono kōto o kudasai. Saizu wa emu, iro wa shiro de.) |
| Literally, “I’d like this coat. Medium (size), white (color).” |
| In this sentence, you’ve selected your size and the color you want from many different choices, so you also need to use で(de) in this case. |
| As particles have so many different meanings, you don’t have to master all of them at the same time. Learning how each one works little by little helps you understand all of their meanings more clearly. |
| How was this lesson? Did you get everything? |
| Do you have any more questions? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll try to answer them! |
| またね！[mata ne!] See you! |
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