で、By Way Of
“The only thing keeping you from what you want is your story about why you can’t have it.” - Tony Robbins
We’re going to introduce something that’s small (but also really big) in your Japanese learning. It’s one of the big particles you need to know (only a couple left now). While it’s not as big as は, が, に, or を, it’s comes right after all those to be a close 5th, I’d say. Plus, we can use the simplest version of this particle to practice すぎる as well.
You are learning the particle で
The particle で, if I had to summarize / explain it very simply, would do as follows:
The particle で shows how something happens. One way to translate it is “by way of” or “via.” As in, “by way of the bus.” で also indicates the location that something is taking place, which means it can also be translated as “at,” as in “at McDonalds, I ate a hamburger.”
Let’s look at some simple examples that show these two things (“by way of/via” and “at/in”). Then we’ll use で with some すぎる sentences. Don’t worry if you don’t completely feel comfortable with で right off the bat. We’ll keep using it from here on out making sure you get lots and lots of practice in plenty of different situations. For now, focus on getting a general understanding. Afterwards, focus on using it and seeing it in examples.
First, let’s start with something simple.
マクドナルドで
At McDonalds
スーパーで
At the supermarket
ボビーさん の いえで
At Bobby’s house
バスで
By way of / via bus
くるまで
By way of / via car
These are the most simple (and most common) kinds of ways to use で. Think of the above examples as their own, alone chunks. Think of マクドナルドで as one, self-contained word/sentence. That way you can add to them.
aマクドナルドで ハンバーガー を たべました
At Mcdonalds, (I) ate a hamburger
aスーパで マンゴ を かった
At the supermarket, (I) bought a mango
aボビーさん の いえで ゲーム を しました
At Bobby’s house (I) played (did) games
aバスで いった
I went by bus
aくるまで とうきょう へ いきました
I went to Tokyo by car
With the “by way of” examples it’s harder to use すぎる. But with the “at” で examples, it’s pretty easy. “At _____ I did too much of something.”
aマクドナルドで ハンバーガー を たべすぎた
At McDonalds I ate too many hamburgers
aスーパーで マンゴ を かいすぎた
At the supermarket I bought too many mangos
aボビーさん の いえ で ゲーム を しすぎた
At Bobby’s house I played too many games
So, what kinds of things could you do too much of at the following places? I’ll provide some example answers, but you should try to come up with some of your own versions as well. Try to come up with a sentence on your own, first, then compare them with the example.
aアメリカで ビーフ を たべすぎた
In America, I ate too much beef
a友だち の いえ で テレビ を みすぎた
At my friend’s house I watched too much television
a外で まちすぎた
I waited outside too much
aバーで ビール を のみすぎた
At the bar, I drank too much beer
Just remember, when you add で to a word, you’re saying that because of this (thing) you are able to do something. You go via the car or you eat at the restaurant. You’re using something to do something else, and で is the particle to show that.
You’ll get much more practice with で (I’ve been chomping at the bit to use で in examples, too) as you go along. Just make sure you get the general drift of it, and know the two “meanings” it has. Those are the most common and the most useful, and will get you a long ways if you just know those!