Translation guide
The English preposition 'at' has many uses. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: location, time, direction, state, and more. Japanese often uses particles like に, で, or を, but the choice depends on the meaning.
Expressing static location or the place where an action occurs.
Use に for static location with verbs like いる (to be, animate), ある (to be, inanimate), 住む (to live), 泊まる (to stay).
私は学校にいます。
I am at school.
本は机の上にあります。
The book is on the desk.
Use で for the location of an action or event. Verbs like 勉強する (study), 会う (meet), 買う (buy).
図書館で勉強しました。
I studied at the library.
駅で友達に会った。
I met my friend at the station.
With motion verbs like 歩く (walk), 走る (run), 飛ぶ (fly), を marks the area traversed, often translated as 'at' in English for specific points.
角を曲がってください。
Please turn at the corner.
Indicating a specific time or age.
Use に for specific times: clock times, days, dates, ages. Not used with relative time words like 今日 (today), 明日 (tomorrow), 毎日 (every day).
会議は3時に始まります。
The meeting starts at 3 o'clock.
彼は18歳で大学に入った。
He entered university at 18.
Use ごろ for approximate times, like 'at around'.
7時ごろに帰ります。
I'll come home at around 7.
Expressing the target of an action, gaze, or movement.
Use に for the target of verbs like 向ける (direct at), 投げる (throw at), 笑う (laugh at), 怒る (get angry at).
彼にボールを投げた。
I threw the ball at him.
先生は私に怒った。
The teacher got angry at me.
More explicit direction, 'toward/at'. Used with verbs like 叫ぶ (shout at), 撃つ (shoot at).
彼は私に向かって叫んだ。
He shouted at me.
Describing being in the middle of an activity or a state.
Use ところだ to emphasize being 'at the moment of' doing something.
今、食べているところです。
I'm at lunch right now.
Attach 中 (ちゅう) to nouns to mean 'in the middle of' or 'at (work/school)'. Commonly used for 仕事中 (at work), 会議中 (in a meeting).
彼は今、会議中です。
He is at a meeting now.
Indicating a specific value or rate.
Use で for prices, speeds, rates. Often with verbs like 売る (sell at), 走る (run at).
このりんごは1個100円で売っています。
These apples are sold at 100 yen each.
車は時速100キロで走っていた。
The car was going at 100 km/h.
Expressing the cause of an emotion, often 'at' in English.
Use に with verbs like 驚く (be surprised at), 喜ぶ (be pleased at), がっかりする (be disappointed at).
その知らせに驚いた。
I was surprised at the news.
Describing skill level.
Use が上手 (good at) / が下手 (bad at) with nouns. For verbs, use のが上手/下手.
彼は数学が上手だ。
He is good at math.
私は料理が下手です。
I am bad at cooking.
For verb phrases, nominalize with の.
彼は走るのが速い。
He is fast at running.
に marks existence (where something is). で marks the location of an action. Compare: 公園にいる (I am at the park) vs 公園で遊ぶ (I play at the park).
彼は東京に住んでいる。
He lives in Tokyo.
東京で働いている。
He works in Tokyo.
In many time expressions, 'at' is not translated. For example, 'at night' is 夜 (よる) without a particle, or 夜に. 'At that time' is その時 (そのとき). Overusing に can sound unnatural.