Particles に・が・で・を — In-Depth Comparison for JLPT N2 [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

How to choose between に, が, で and を — an in-depth comparison for N2, with examples. (JLPT N2)

「公園にいる」 or 「公園で遊ぶ」? — how to actually choose に・が・で・を

「子供が公園にいる」 (is in the park) vs 「子供が公園で遊ぶ」 (plays in the park) — the same “park,” one with 「に」, one with 「で」. Particles are Japanese's skeleton, and 「に・が・で・を」 are the most confused. They decide what role a noun plays: existence or action, object or subject. This guide uses one core-use table ＋ two most-confused comparisons to teach you to choose the right particle not by rote but by “the relation between noun and verb” (an N2 systematic overview).

Core: a particle marks “the relation between noun and verb”

Don't choose particles by rote; ask: what's the relation between this noun and the verb?

• に = landing point: a destination reached, a place of existence, a point in time, the target of an action (東京に行く・部屋にいる・3時に・友達に会う).
• が = subject／object: the subject of an action or state, and the object of ability・likes/dislikes (雨が降る・日本語が話せる・犬が好き).
• で = place of action／means／scope: where an action is done, by what means, within what scope (公園で遊ぶ・電車で行く・日本で一番).
• を = direct object／passing・leaving: the object an action directly acts on, a place moved through or left (パンを食べる・橋を渡る・家を出る).

In a line: existence/arrival/target → に, subject/ability-likes → が, place of action/means → で, direct object/passing → を.

The four particles' core uses

Example sentences

• 子供たちが公園で元気に走っている。(The kids are running around in the park.) — で = place of action
• 猫が部屋にいる。(The cat is in the room.) — に = place of existence
• 毎朝、この橋を渡って学校へ行く。(Every morning I cross this bridge to school.) — を = passing
• 彼は日本語が上手に話せる。(He can speak Japanese well.) — が = object of ability
• 来週、東京に行く予定だ。(I plan to go to Tokyo next week.) — に = destination reached

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① Existence uses 「に」, action uses 「で」 (same place, the verb decides). The commonest error. For the same place, ‘existence (いる／ある)' uses に, ‘doing an action (遊ぶ／働く／する)' uses で: 部屋にいる (○ be in the room — existence) vs 部屋で遊ぶ (○ play in the room — action); ✗部屋でいる (×), ✗公園に遊ぶ (×). Test: if the verb is “exist (be there)” → に; if it's “do some action” → で.

② The ‘object' of a potential form, or of likes/dislikes, uses 「が」, not 「を」. For ability (potential), liking/disliking, wanting, the object uses が (not を): 日本語が話せる (○ can speak Japanese — potential uses が); 寿司が好きだ (○ like sushi); 水が飲みたい (○ want to drink water). In Chinese/English, “speak ‘Japanese,'” “like ‘sushi'” look like objects, so を is often misused (×日本語を話せる), but the object of potential/likes/desire takes 「が」 in Japanese. (A plain verb's object does take を: 日本語を話す = speak Japanese [not potential].)

③ Movement: destination uses 「に／へ」, passing/leaving uses 「を」. A destination reached uses に／へ (東京に行く・学校へ向かう); a space moved through uses を (公園を散歩する = stroll through the park; 空を飛ぶ = fly across the sky); a starting point left also uses を (家を出る = leave home; 電車を降りる = get off the train). Don't misuse the passing/leaving を as で or に (公園で散歩する is also possible [stroll in the park as a place], but for “through the park” stressing the path, use を).

🔄 Most confused: に vs で／が vs を

💡 How to remember this

「に・が・で・を」 are basic particles you use daily; choosing right makes sentences natural. Don't rote-memorize — choose by “what's the relation between noun and verb”: ① に = landing point (arrival/existence/time/target: 東京に行く・部屋にいる・友達に会う); ② が = subject/object of ability & likes (雨が降る・日本語ができる・猫が好き); ③ で = place of action/means/scope (公園で遊ぶ・電車で行く・日本で一番); ④ を = direct object/passing/leaving (本を読む・橋を渡る・家を出る). Lock in the three commonest errors: ① existence uses に, action uses で (部屋にいる vs 部屋で遊ぶ); ② the object of a potential form/likes uses が (日本語が話せる, not を); ③ movement destination uses に, passing/leaving uses を (東京に行く vs 公園を歩く). Master this “choose the particle by the relation” and に・が・で・を will no longer trip you.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: For the same “park,” why is 「公園にいる」 に but 「公園で遊ぶ」 で?

The key is whether the following verb is ‘existence' or ‘action.' 「に」 is for ‘existence, arrival' (a static ‘point'): when the verb is “いる・ある (exist)” or “行く・着く (arrive),” the place uses に — 猫が部屋にいる (the cat is in the room — existing somewhere); 荷物が机の上にある (the luggage is on the desk); 東京に行く (go to Tokyo — arriving at a destination). It marks “the point where (someone/something) exists/arrives,” static. 「で」 is for ‘the place where an action occurs' (where you do something): when the verb is “遊ぶ・働く・勉強する・食べる (do an action),” the place uses で — 子供が公園で遊ぶ (kids play in the park — doing “play” there); 図書館で勉強する (study at the library); レストランで食べる (eat at a restaurant). It marks “the stage of an action,” dynamic. So for the same “park”: 「公園にいる」 = (someone) exists in the park (static); 「公園で遊ぶ」 = do the action “play” in the park (dynamic). Trick: if the verb is ‘いる/ある/行く (exist/arrive)' → に; if it's ‘遊ぶ/する' etc. (action) → で. Remember “existence に, action で” and this pair is safe. (×部屋でいる, ×公園に遊ぶ both swap に/で the wrong way.)

Q: Why is 「日本語が話せる」 が, not 「日本語を話せる」?

Because the object of a potential form (can/able to ～) conventionally takes 「が」 in Japanese, not 「を」. A plain verb's object takes 「を」 (日本語を話す = speak Japanese — a plain verb), but when it becomes the potential 「話せる (can speak)」, the object switches to 「が」 (日本語が話せる = can speak Japanese). This is a Japanese rule: the objects of the potential form, and of 「好き・嫌い (likes/dislikes)」「ほしい・〜たい (want)」「わかる・できる (understand/can)」, take 「が」. Examples:

• plain verb (を): ピアノを弾く (play the piano) → potential (が): ピアノが弾ける (can play the piano).
• likes (が): 私は犬が好きだ (I like dogs); 辛い物が苦手だ (bad with spicy food).
• desire (が): 冷たい水が飲みたい (want to drink cold water).
• ability (が): 彼は料理ができる (he can cook); 漢字がわかる (understands kanji).

Because “speak ‘Japanese,' like ‘dogs,' want ‘water'” all look like objects in Chinese/English, learners easily apply 「を」, but for potential/likes/desire/ability, Japanese takes 「が」 for the object. Memory aid: see 「〜できる・〜（ら）れる (potential)・好き・嫌い・ほしい・〜たい・わかる」 and the preceding object takes 「が」. (Colloquially 「を」 is occasionally heard, e.g., 日本語を話せる, but for standard usage and exams, 「が」 is safest.)

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「子供たちが公園___元気に走っている。」(the children are running energetically in the park)

(A) で　(B) に　(C) を　(D) へ

Q2. 「彼は日本語___上手に話せる。」(he can speak Japanese fluently) Which particle is most natural?

(A) が　(B) を　(C) に　(D) で

Q3. 「毎朝この橋___渡って学校へ行く。」(every morning I cross this bridge to go to school)

(A) を　(B) に　(C) で　(D) と

Q4. Which correctly describes how the particles in 「公園にいる」 and 「公園で遊ぶ」 are used differently?

(A) に = place of existence (いる/ある); で = place where an action occurs (遊ぶ/する)

(B) They are exactly the same

(C) に can only attach to action verbs

(D) で can only attach to existence verbs

Q5. 「来週、東京___行く予定だ。」(next week I plan to go to Tokyo) Which particle is most appropriate?

(A) に　(B) で　(C) を　(D) が

Answer Explanations

1. (A) で ── The place where an action takes place is marked with で (走る is an action verb).

2. (A) が ── The potential form usually takes が (日本語が話せる).

3. (A) を ── The space a motion verb passes through takes を (橋を渡る).

4. (A) ── に = place of existence (いる/ある); で = place of action (遊ぶ/する).

5. (A) に ── The destination of movement takes に (東京に行く).