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へ (direction)

e (direction)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

"to / toward" — direction of movement. Pronounced え.

へ means "to / toward" and marks the direction you move in. It is written with the kana へ but pronounced え. With the movement verbs 行く (go), 来る (come) and 帰る (return) you can use either へ or に; へ feels a little more like "heading toward", に more like "arriving at". For a beginner they are interchangeable in these sentences.

Before verbs of movement: 行きます, 来ます, 帰ります, 歩きます, 出かけます. Common in questions like どこへ行きますか "Where are you going?" and in the fixed phrase 〜への (a letter TO Japan).

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • Place + へ + 行きます／来ます／帰ります
  • Place + へ + の + noun (日本への手紙)

Visual diagram

  1. 私はtopic
  2. 日本place
  3. へdirection (spoken え)
  4. 行きますmovement verb
I am going to Japan.

Natural examples

  1. 日本へ行きます。

    にほんへ いきます。

    I am going to Japan.

    Direction of travel: 日本へ.

  2. 駅へ歩きます。

    えきへ あるきます。

    I walk to the station.

    Walking toward the station.

  3. 何時に家へ帰りますか。

    なんじに いえへ かえりますか。

    What time do you go home?

    Going back home: 家へ帰る. 家に帰る is equally correct.

  4. 夏休みに国へ帰ります。

    なつやすみに くにへ かえります。

    I'm going back to my country in the summer holidays.

    帰る (return) works with へ or に.

  5. これは母への手紙です。

    これは ははへの てがみです。

    This is a letter to my mother.

    Only へ can be followed by の to describe a noun; ×母にの手紙.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    学校え行きます。(written)
    ✓
    学校へ行きます。
    Why
    The particle is spelled へ even though it sounds like え.
  • ✗
    学校で行きます。
    ✓
    学校へ行きます。
    Why
    で marks the place of an action or a means of transport (バスで). The destination takes へ or に.
  • ✗
    友達へ本をあげます。(fine in speech, but)
    ✓
    友達に本をあげます。
    Why
    For the receiver of a thing, に is the standard particle. へ is for physical direction of movement.

With 行く・来る・帰る, に and へ are interchangeable. へ stresses direction, に stresses arrival point. Only へ can be followed by の (日本への手紙 "a letter to Japan").

JLPT N5 tips

On the exam

  • If the verb is 行きます・来ます・帰ります and both へ and に are options, the exam will not make you choose between them; the other options will be wrong ones like で or を. Pick the direction particle that is offered.
  • Only へ can precede の (日本への旅行). If the blank is followed by の + noun, the answer is へ.

Frequently asked questions

What does へ (direction) mean?

"to / toward" — direction of movement. Pronounced え. へ means "to / toward" and marks the direction you move in. It is written with the kana へ but pronounced え. With the movement verbs 行く (go), 来る (come) and 帰る (return) you can use either へ or に; へ feels a little more like "heading toward", に more like "arriving at". For a beginner they are interchangeable in these sentences.

How do you form へ (direction)?

Place + へ + 行きます／来ます／帰ります / Place + へ + の + noun (日本への手紙). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is へ (direction) used?

Before verbs of movement: 行きます, 来ます, 帰ります, 歩きます, 出かけます. Common in questions like どこへ行きますか "Where are you going?" and in the fixed phrase 〜への (a letter TO Japan).

What is the difference between へ (direction) and に?

に is the arrival point and has many other uses (time, existence, recipient). へ is only direction.

What is the difference between へ (direction) and で?

で marks where an action happens, never where you go to.

What is a common mistake with へ (direction)?

Wrong: 学校え行きます。(written) Right: 学校へ行きます。 The particle is spelled へ even though it sounds like え.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 1 of 5

What goes in (　　)? 来月 日本（　　）行きます。