家で
ie de
The Japanese phrase for "at home" is 家で (ie de).
家で is used to indicate that an action or activity is taking place within one's place of residence.
Meaning: in one's place of residence (prep_phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 家 (ie), meaning house or home and the particle で (de), which indicates the location where an action takes place.
How does it change in a sentence?
There is a distinction between using 家で and 家に. Use 家で when you are performing an activity, such as eating or studying, at home. In contrast, use 家に to indicate existence or direction, such as "being at home" or "going home".
How do you pronounce it?
ie de
Did you know?
- The word 家 (ie) is used in the term 家系 (kakei) to describe a family lineage. In historical contexts, 家 refers not to a building, but to the entire ancestral household and its social rank.
- In Japan, the entrance of the home features a げんかん (genkan), a sunken area where shoes are removed. This area is technically 'at home' but is treated as a transitional space that is neither fully inside nor outside.
- The character for 家 (ie) contains the radical for 'roof' on top. This is a common pattern in Japanese kanji where a roof radical is used for words related to buildings or shelter.
Examples in context
- 家でするよ。I'll do it at home.This sentence shows how to use 家で to describe performing an action.Tatoeba #11065670 by small_snow, translation #10268745 by sundown
- 家で待ってて。Wait for me at home.This sentence shows how to use 家で to describe waiting for someone.Tatoeba #11926651 by small_snow, translation #11098382 by ddnktr
- 家で待ってます。I'm waiting at home.This sentence shows how to use 家で to describe a continuous state of waiting.Tatoeba #12037982 by small_snow, translation #6153025 by sundown
- 私は自宅にいますI am at home.
- お父さんはご自宅におりますか？Is your father at home?
- 田中さんのお宅でお茶をいただいてもいいですか？Is it okay if I have tea at Mr./Ms. Tanaka's home?
- ウチでゆっくりしようLet's relax at home.
- 彼は家にいませんHe is not at home.
- 彼女は自宅でお母さんと一緒にいます。She is at home with her mother.
- 今日はウチでご飯を作るよ。Today, I will cook at home.
- 73 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are deciding where to eat dinner.
- 健太 Kenta今日は外で食べない？Kyou wa soto de tabenai?Do you want to eat out today?
- 美咲 Misakiうーん、家でゆっくりしたいな。Uun, ie de yukkuri shitai na.Hmm, I want to relax at home.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、家で何か作ろうか。Jaa, ie de nanika tsukurou ka.Then, shall we cook something at home?
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう。そうしよう！Arigatou. Sou shiyou!Thank you. Let's do that!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
