Checking sentence structure

[Ryuk]

Okay i'm going through Genki and I just wanted to check that I have got the order or this correct:

たけしさんは日曜日にきょうとでメアリさんとえいごを みました。

Assuming I haven't got this totally wrong it should say: On Sunday Takeshi watched a movie in Kyoto with Mary.

Thanks for any help :wave:

[nice gaijin]

Grammatically it's in fine order, but there are a few mistakes

たけしさんは日曜日にきょうとうでメアリーさんとえいがを みました。

[NANGI]

Konnichiwa Ryuk-san! nice gaijin-san!

Grammatically it's in fine order, but there are a few mistakes

たけしさんは日曜日にきょうとうでメアリーさんとえいがを みました。

There is a trifling error, it is the name of a place "きょうとう". "Kyoto" is "きょうと" but not "きょうとう".

Japanese name is very confusing in Roman. An instance, "Kyoto" and "Tokyo". "Kyoto" is "きょうと". But "Tokyo" is not "ときょう". "Tokyo" is "とうきょう" correctly. Why is not "Toukyo"? I don't know. Other instance, "Osaka". It is "おおさか" but not "おさか". :relief:

NANGI

[nice gaijin]

my bad, thanks for the correction; It's easy to make such mistakes when not using the kanji :bluush:

[Ryuk]

Thanks! :cool: Yeah it is kinda hard to remember all the placings of long vowels.

[Ryuk]

One more thing regarding the position of に: say I want to say, for example, "I studied for 2 hours yesterday", would the position of the particle be correct as shown below? From what i've learnt so far, に is used when marking a movement with regards to a place and also for marking a specific time.

私はきょうににじかんをびんきょしました。

Thanks for your help and patience :)

[Derfel]

There's no need for it.

The best would be, if the situation is clear, to say that: "Studied two hours yesterday."
Which looks like.
きのうにじかんべんきょうした

With watashi it just sounds a bit "draggy" imo. Although, its grammatically correct to use it.

[Ryuk]

So just to clear it up, when exactly would I need to use the "ni" particle? Is it only when direction of movement or a really specific time is being talked about? Thanks.

[epigene]

So just to clear it up, when exactly would I need to use the "ni" particle? Is it only when direction of movement or a really specific time is being talked about? Thanks.
You are basically correct, but you should understand the use of this particle by not narrowing down to these two cases, since the Japanese understanding of use of this particle is slightly different. Tae Kim's explanation of "ni" use:
Particles Reloaded (http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles2.html#part3)

[Derfel]

Well I personally wouldn't use it, by gut tbh.

[Ryuk]

Cool thanks, I think I have the idea now. If you see me using it wrongly again please beat me with a large object :relief:

[Derfel]

Sure, just buy the plane tickets ok? :D