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The Particle へ

へ is a particle used to indicate direction or destination.

Despite being written as the kana へ, へ the particle is pronounced the same as the kana え

Differences Between に and へ​

When talking about direction and destination, に and へ are fairly interchangeable.

For example, both 福岡に行きます and 福岡へいきます translate to 'I will go to Fukuoka'.

Exceptions to this rule include お風呂に入る (to get in a bath) and 電車に乗る (to board a bus), where に is always used and not へ.

In speech へ gives greater room for generalisations about direction or destination, while に tends to be used more specifically.

Example Sentences​

  • 彼らはみなそこへいった。
    All of them went there.

  • メキシコへ行ったことがありますか。
    Have you ever been to Mexico?

  • 学校へ行きたくない。
    I don't want to go to school.

  • 私達は、ニューオーリンズへ向かう途中でセントルイスを通りました。
    We went through St. Louis on the way to New Orleans.