で Particle (Time)

で Particle (Time) Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Particle

Essential Meaning: At / On / In (indicates the time at which some activity terminates)

Construction: 

• Time Noun + で
  • E.g. 9時じで [At 9 o’clock]

Notes:

• X + で (Time) conveys the idea that some action or event lasts until X. In other words, the activity terminates AT time X.
  • E.g. このコンサートは十時じゅうじで終おわります。[This concert last until 10.]

• When referring to the time at which an activity terminates, で (Time) is interchangeable with に (Time) with a slight difference in nuance. Namely, X + で (Time) emphasizes the period leading up to X, while X + に (Time) emphasizes the specific time of termination.
  • E.g. 春学期はるがっきは五月十日ごがつとおかで終おわる。[The spring term lasts until May 10th.]
  • E.g. 春学期はるがっきは五月十日ごがつとおかに終おわる。[The spring term ends on May 10th.]

• When the で particle refers to a duration of time (as opposed to the time of termination), it is interpreted as で (Means / Instrument) rather than で (Time). In other words, Duration + で refers to the amount of time used to complete some task.
  • E.g. 山田やまださんは一週間いっしゅうかんでそのレポートを書かいた。[Yamada-san took one week to write that report.]

Example Sentences:

私わたしのパスポートは六月ろくがつできれる。[My passport is valid until June.]

アメリカに来きてから今日きょうで三年さんねんになる。[From the time I came to America up until today, it’s been three years.]

WILD Examples:

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