には (JLPT N2)

About には

には is a common particle combination in Japanese that is used to express contrast in regard to the topic. As a function of the particles that combine to make には, に highlights that something is 'for (A)', while は emphasizes that a generalization or contrast is being made about (A).

Common translations for には include 'in order to', 'in regard to', or 'for'. This structure will appear following either verbs in their dictionary form, or nouns.

Fun-fact

Despite having several different translations, には can almost always be thought of as simply meaning 'for', as に highlights that (A) is the 'target', while は shows that whatever happens in (B) is specific to (A), regardless of whatever might be true for another topic.

Examples

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「移動(いどう)にはスクーターを使(つか)ったらどう？」

'What about using a scooter for transportation?'

夢(ゆめ)を実現(じつげん)するには時間(じかん)がかかる。

It takes time in order to make one's dream happen.

出産(しゅっさん)には、我慢(がまん)強(づよ)さが必要(ひつよう)です。

In order to give birth, endurance is necessary.

一戸建(いっこだ)てを買(か)うには多(おお)くの金(かね)がかかる。

It costs a lot of money to buy a detached house.

間違(まちが)いを認(みと)めてやり直(なお)すには勇気(ゆうき)が要(い)ります。

One needs courage in order to admit a mistake and start over.

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には – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (9 in total)

Pushindawood
in order to
in regard to
for・as for
Structure
- Verb + には
- Noun + には
View on Bunpro
flowsnake
For the cases where this means “as for”, how does には differ from は? Often the topic is translated the same way.
julian_s
I am also wondering this. What exactly is the difference between には and は？ Is it just to add more emphasis on the subject, or is there something else going on?
narfi
I am puzzled by the examples using, say, 団地 and 地下水.

In DIJG, of 290-291, the には structure is split into
- Verb + には. Then this indicates the purpose.
- Action noun + には. Again, this indicates purpose. (And they define an action noun as the noun part of a する verb, or the direct object to する.)
Great, both indicate purpose. That is easily understood as an abbreviation of ために / のに. DIJG also explains:
- Non-action noun + には. The sentence does not explain a purpose. All the examples they give are of the form に (in any of it’s meanings, time/location/target/… marker) + は (topic marker). That is, those example are not abbreviations of ために / のに.
Are some of the Bunpro example sentences of that last form? I can’t see how underground water or multistory apartment buildings are action nouns and how those examples of には could be abbreviations of ために / のに.
mrnoone
Hey @narfi!

You are absolutely right, originally this grammar was meant to cover all uses of the には, but later we have changed its goal to express purpose without really changing the sentences.

The examples you mentioned were the other uses of には, which basically is attaching は to all uses of に to express contrast with something or make the Nounに into the topic of the sentence.

I have replaced those with the “purpose”-type sentences, so it is all consistent now.

Sorry for the inconvenience,
Cheers

PS
There is another use of には when it follows a noun denoting person and it means “for (as opposed to others)”, almost like にとって as in:
私にはその意味がわかりません。
The meaning of that is unknown to me.
narfi
Dear @mrnoone,
thank you for the quick turnaround and excellent grammar explanations as always! The new example sentences are great.
Best,
Narfi
mrnoone
No problemo, happy to help
onekun
How exactly is this different from のに? A lot of the example sentences look like には is interchangeable with のに.
Fuga
Hey there @onekun !

This might be a helpful discussion!
aman
私にはゆめがあります。does it will have a literal translation as for me i have a dream . it’s translation is given I have a dream. can anyone tell more about it in detail.what will happen if we write 私はゆめがあります meaning and difference