往Particles: where, when and who
Going places
Which verb you use depends on your viewpoint, and which particle you use depends on how you move.
Where are you standing?
行く and 来る follow your viewpoint
I'll go to Tanaka's house.
Moving away from where you are.
Tanaka is coming to my house.
Moving toward where you are.
Differences from English
“I'm coming!” is 今行きます
If someone calls you, you're moving away from where you are, so you say 今行きます, literally “I'm going now.” 来る is about movement toward the speaker's place or a viewpoint they've taken on, including their home or office.
To your own home, say 帰る, “return”. うちに行く is wrong for your own house.
Moving
Particles for each part of the journey
へ is said “e”. In practice, へ and に are often interchangeable for destinations.
| Particle | Marks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| へ | the direction | 東へ行きます |
| に | the arrival point | 東京に着きます |
| まで | as far as | 駅まで歩きます |
| を | the space you pass through | 公園を歩きます |
| を | the place you leave | 家を出ます |
| から | where you start | 東京から来ます |
を for movement
It doesn't always mean an object
I cross the bridge.
A space you move across.
I get off the train.
A place you detach from.
I walk along the road.
A space you move along.
I graduate from college.
A place you leave.
Space or activity?
を vs. で
I swim across the river.
を focuses on passing through.
I swim in the river.
で says where the activity happens.
Direct or a little looser
を and から for leaving
I leave the room.
を marks detaching from a place.
I come out of the room.
から focuses on where the movement starts.
Your turn
に or を?
I leave home.
Check yourself
Which way is the movement going?
Say it yourself
A friend calls out
Your friend shouts from the next room to come quick. You're about to go to them, and then leave the house together.
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