to (a destination or a person)

Ni marks the destination of motion verbs like iku, kuru, and kaeru. It also marks the person who receives an action with verbs like ageru, kaku, and denwa suru. The destination or recipient comes before ni.

Examples

• 来週らいしゅう大阪おおさかに行いきます。

  Raishuu Oosaka ni ikimasu.

  I am going to Osaka next week.

• 友達ともだちに手紙てがみを書かきます。

  Tomodachi ni tegami o kakimasu.

  I write a letter to my friend.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 来週 next week
• 行く to go
• 友達 friend
• 手紙 letter
• 書く to write

Related patterns · Particles

• 〜は topic marker (as for ...)
• 〜が subject marker
• 〜を direct object marker
• 〜に（時間） at / on (a specific time)
• 〜へ toward, to (direction)
• 〜で（場所） at / in (place where an action happens)