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The へ Particle Posted by on Dec 25, 2009 in Grammar

The particle indicates that one is heading or setting out to head towards a goal or direction. The particle is often confused with the particle and for a good reason. The and particle can somtimes be interchangeable and yet produce a slighly different meaning. is used when the destination is the final goal. However does not necessarily mean that the destination is the final goal. is much more specific. It’s kind of like saying, “I will go TO the (actual location of the station) station”, but is more ambiguous, more like “I will go TOWARDS the station (but perhaps not at the actual station but somewhere outside it)”.

There are times when and are interchangeable. For example the sentence used above is interchangeable, with only a slight (depending on the context) difference in meaning. “えき に いきます” = I will go to the station. “えき へ いきます” = I will go towards the station. (えき = station. / = ni/he particle. いきます = will go.) Also most of the time is pronounced as “he”, but as a particle it is pronounced as ““. Obviously when you’re giving directions to someone, the distinction of versus is important, but the general understanding of the sentence (not including giving directions) of the two particles are similar.

and are not interchangeable in terms of time. Only is used for time references. (For more on the particle, check the blog post here: https://blogs.transparent.com/japanese/%e3%81%ab-particle/) For example, a sentence like this is correct with but not with : “ろくじ に たべます” = I eat at 6 o’clock. (ろくじ = 6 o’clock.  = ni particle. たべます = eat.) cannot be used in this sentence because 6 o’clock is an exact time reference. If you want to say something less exact like “I eat around 6 o’clock” use the word ごる like this, “ろくじ ごる たべます

Another restriction on is that you must use it with a verb of motion like いく (to go) or with a destination. For example, a sentence like this can only be used with and not , “わたし の せんせい に あいます” = I will meet my teacher”. (わたし = my.  = no particle. せんせい = teacher.  = ni particle. あいます = will meet). Since あいます is not a verb of motion like かえる (to return) you can’t use . However you can say, “ぎんざ へ せんせい に あいます” = I will meet [my] teacher (somwhere in) Ginza. (Ginza = ぎんざ.) If you were to replace  with it would mean, “I will meet [my] teacher (at a predestined/agreed upon destination with the teacher in) Ginza.

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