G09 · Destination: に and へ

Before you start

The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• G01build sentences with は and です
• G02ask and answer
• G03say what something is not
• G04say whose something is
• G05point at things and ask what they are
• G06say «also»
• G07say what you do
• G08say no and talk about the past

What you learn

〜に／へ いきます

• にdestination
• へdirection (read e)

With verbs of movement (いきます, きます), に and へ mark the destination and mean the same here: がっこうに いきます = がっこうへ いきます. へ is read e.

• がっこうに いきます。gakkou ni ikimasu.I go to school.
• あした ぎんこうに いきます。ashita ginkou ni ikimasu.Tomorrow I'm going to the bank.
• せんせいは だいがくへ いきます。sensei wa daigaku e ikimasu.The teacher goes to the university.
• きのう こうえんに いきました。kinou kouen ni ikimashita.Yesterday I went to the park.
• にほんへ きました。nihon e kimashita.I came to Japan.
• まいにち えきへ いきます。mainichi eki e ikimasu.I go to the station every day.

Practice

A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.