Japanese Grammar
Difference Between に and へ

Understanding the difference between the Japanese particles に (ni) and へ (e) is essential for speaking correctly about movement and destinations. In English, both can often be translated as “to,” but their usage and nuance are different.

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🔑 Quick Summary for Beginners

Particle	Use	Meaning	Key Idea
に (ni)	Specific destination or purpose	to	Precise target
へ (e)	Direction only	toward	General direction

🗾 Example Sentences

With に（に = exact place or purpose）

• 東京に行きます。
  → I’m going to Tokyo.
• 学校に行く。
  → I go to school.
• 勉強に行く。
  → I go to study.

With へ（へ = heading toward a direction）

• 東京へ行きます。
  → I’m heading toward Tokyo.
• 北へ向かいます。
  → Heading north.
• 海へ歩いて行く。
  → I walk toward the sea.

🎧 TIP: Try reading these sentences out loud to practice intonation. You can use Japanese text-to-speech tools for listening practice!

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🎯 JLPT Grammar Tip

For JLPT N5 or N4, expect simple sentences like:

• きょうしつに はいります。 (Enter the classroom)
• スーパーへ いきます。 (Go toward the supermarket)

Knowing these differences is key for grammar and reading sections in the JLPT.

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📝 Practice Quiz

Choose the correct particle: に or へ

1. 日本 ___ 行きたいです。
2. 友だち ___ 会いに行きます。
3. 山の方 ___ ドライブします。
4. 駅 ___ 着きました。
5. 買い物 ___ 行きましょう！

✅ Answers:

1. に
2. に
3. へ
4. に
5. に

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💡 Pro Tip

When you’re talking about what you’re doing there, use に:

• 勉強に行く (to study)
• 食べに行く (to eat)

When you’re just talking about direction or heading somewhere, へ works better:

• 東京へ行く (heading toward Tokyo)

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🧠 Memory Trick

• Think of に = pinpoint (like a GPS marker 🎯)
• Think of へ = heading (like an arrow ➡️)

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