If に particle marks the direction when we use a movement verb (as in 「スペインに行きます」 – “I go to Spain”), and で particle serves for marking the place where action takes places (as in 「図書館で勉強します」 – “I study in the library”) or for marking the tool we are using for do something (as in 「電話で話します」- “I talk on the phone”), why if I want to say “I write in the notebook” I must use に instead of で (「ノートに書きまし」)?
I’ve look it up on Tae Kim’s Grammar, but I only saw the uses of に for movement and existence verbs, so I’m little confused about its use.
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Go check cure dolly on YouTube she explain every particles
It’s related to the direction sense. You write *into* the notebook.
で in your telephone example is about tool use, not direction.
I usually think of に as focusing, because it focuses on time and place.
この椅子に座ります。”Sit in THIS chair.” This specific piece of furniture.
ここで座ります。”Sit here.” This area, but like… any seat is okay.
ノートに書きます。”Write in a notebook.” Not on the wall, not on apiece of paper – the notebook.
Japanese dictionary of basic grammar explains it as “actions made on the surface of something, like paper need に particle “
ノートに書きます ー> I write in the notebook.
ノートで書きますー> I write with the notebook.
To be clear, there are many cases where you can use either で or に, but it will change the nuance of the sentence. The important thing to understand is only that に indicates a location whereas で indicates a use for something, but it can also be used to say “in” or “at.” When used this way, it puts more emphasis in the action being done rather than the place. Some sentences will sound more natural with one or the other depending on the context, but oftentimes both would be understood all the same.
Take the word 生まれる for example. The way that most people are born is generally the same, so the action doesn’t need to be highlighted. This is why you will most commonly see 病院に生まれた and not 病院で生まれた. It would make sense to use で if you were born in a peculiar way and were describing the circumstances of your birth more so than where you where born.
図書館で一番好きなマンガの新しい本が見つけられました！
This sentence says “I was able to find a new volume of my favorite manga at the library.” Notice how the focus is on the action and not on the library.
図書館に新しい本を借りました。
This sentence says “I borrowed a new book at the library”. Notice that this is something practically everyone does at every library, so it would be odd to put emphasis on the action here.
Going back to the last example, imagine a tragic scenario where your mother passed away after giving birth. In this case で would seem appropriate as we care more about the event/action than the place.
病院で生まれた後にお母さんが死んでしまいました。
After I was born at the hospital, my mom died.
I hope this helps you understand a little better!