に を particles

[ChrisBG]

Hey all, great site - I just found it and I'm finding it so helpful. Anyway, take this sentance for example...

えい語がじょうずにはなします。

what I am puzzled about is why the last particle is ni. (I have always thought it was the wo ('o') particle). Can anyone help me here? I meant to ask my teacher at school but I forgot and now it's the weekend. Thanks in advance,

-Chris

[nprz]

The method of turning a na-adjective into an adverb is by putting ni after the adjective.
Changing an i-adjective into an adverb is done by changing the i to a ku.

[Harisenbon]

The に there is turning a noun into an adjective.

the noun じょうず (good) is being changed into an adjective (well).

This serves the same function as the "ly" ending in English.
for Example:
文法的 -- Grammatical
文法的に -- grammatically

Does that help?

[ChrisBG]

Ah, I see. Thanks for your help guys.

-Chris

[ChrisBG]

Ah, I see. Thanks for your help guys.
EDIT: double post, sorry.

-Chris

[InsanityRanch]

shouldn't the original sentence be either:

英語　を　上手に話ます

or

英語　が　上手に話せます

?

Shira

[AJBryant]

There's a more simple explanation. "Jozu" is being used as an adverb to modify "hanasu", and the Japanese adverbial marker for non-"-i" adjectives is "ni".

Tony