I am having confusion with the follow two sentences. Currently I am preparing JLPT N5 so please answer accordingly (I can't understand very advanced explanations).



So there are expressions of time where we should use に and some where we shouldn't . Can anyone classify for which expressions of time we should に particle and where we shouldn't. I read that for specific "time" we should use に but then also it seems like 日曜日 is a specific time. So why are we not using に particle here. These examples are from a book.

  • Can anyone explain the downvote, I searched and couldn't find a clear cut answer on the site. If there is one please provide the link, I will close the question. – abkds Sep 27 '15 at 6:24
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    I think a user just randomly downvoted a lot of posts—please don't take it personally. – user1478 Sep 27 '15 at 6:25
  • One comment on what you have written here [国]{くに}へ would mean something close "to country" which might throw people for a bit of a loop. If you say, for instance [タイ国]{たいこく} that would be clearer. Or 自分の国 for "my own country." (ps I'm not your downvoter) – virmaior Sep 27 '15 at 14:33

It's said that words that mean absolute time are accompanied with に while relative ones are not.

今日、きのう、明日、今週、先週、来週 or 今年 are ones that are used without に to indicate when something occurs. (Of course, they can be an (indirect) object in a sentence like (予定を)今日にする, besides that.)

日曜日 or 週末 are ones that might take に.

誕生日 or ◯月◯日 are ones that almost always call for に.


Check these sentences which I wrote in English below.

私は日曜日国へ帰ります → I will go to (my or someone's) country on (this, next or someday) Sunday.
私は誕生日に国へ帰ります → I will go to (my or someone's) country at (my or someone's) birthday.

As you can see my sentences, these Japanese sentences have some unclear points. In short, these are lack of "whose?" and "when?".

If I write Japanese sentence, for example, it is below:

I will go to my country on next Sunday. → 私は次の日曜日に自分の国へ帰ります。
I will go to my country at my mother's birthday. → 私は私の母の誕生日に自分の国へ帰ります。

Hope it helps.


  • Hi snailboat-san Thanks for check on my report. – D.Naota Sep 27 '15 at 8:43

Both sentences are OK.

The difference is the 1st one is more colloquial.

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