JLPT N5 grammar · Chapter 4

で (means)

By what method or tool

You’ll be able to explain the tool, transport, or method you use to do something.

Read it first

はしでご飯はんを食たべます。

hashi de gohan o tabemasu.

What do you think this sentence means?

I eat rice with chopsticks.

Why it means that

Say how you do something

Use で to mark the means, tool, language, transport, or method used to carry out an action.

Example

電車でんしゃで学校がっこうに行いきます。

densha de gakkou ni ikimasu.

I go to school by train.

How it is built

Put で after the thing or method you use, then state the action.

Tool/Transport/Language+で+Verb

Examples

箸はしで食たべます。

hashi de tabemasu.

I eat with chopsticks.

日本語にほんごで話はなします。

nihongo de hanashimasu.

I speak in Japanese.

バスで駅えきに行いきます。

basu de eki ni ikimasu.

I go to the station by bus.

Compare

で marks the vehicle you travel by, the tool you use, or the language you speak or write in.

で, vehicle
自転車じてんしゃで会社かいしゃに行いきます。
jitensha de kaisha ni ikimasu.
I go to work by bicycle.
自転車 is the vehicle used to get there.
で, tool
はさみで紙かみを切きります。
hasami de kami o kirimasu.
I cut paper with scissors.
はさみ is the tool used for cutting.
で, language
英語えいごで手紙てがみを書かきます。
eigo de tegami o kakimasu.
I write a letter in English.
英語 is the language medium used.

Examples

はしでご飯はんを食たべます。

hashi de gohan o tabemasu.

I eat rice with chopsticks.

フォークでサラダを食べたべました。

fooku de sarada o tabemashita.

I ate the salad with a fork.

ナイフでパンを切りきります。

naifu de pan o kirimasu.

I cut bread with a knife.

11 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.