おとうとは学校でべんきょうします。
- My younger brother studies at school.

おとうとは学校でべんきょうします。 meaning: My younger brother studies at school.

Japanese sentences typically follow a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) structure, although the subject can often be implied and omitted. ⚫︎ In this sentence, the subject is おとうと (my younger brother), the location is 学校で (at school), and the verb is べんきょうします (studies/will study). ⚫︎ The order is therefore: Subject (implied) - Location - Verb. ⚫︎ The word order can be flexible, but the verb almost always comes at the end.

The particle は (wa) marks the topic of the sentence. ⚫︎ It indicates what the sentence is about. ⚫︎ Although not explicitly present in this sentence, the subject is understood. If the sentence was focusing on my younger brother, it could start with おとうとは..., using は. ⚫︎ は is pronounced "wa" when used as a topic marker, but the character is "は".

The particle で (de) indicates the location where an action takes place. ⚫︎ It follows a noun representing a place. ⚫︎ In this sentence, 学校で (gakkou de) means "at school". ⚫︎ It answers the question "where?" ⚫︎ Other examples: 家で (ie de - at home), 公園で (kouen de - in the park).

べんきょうします (benkyou shimasu) is a polite form of the verb "to study." ⚫︎ It's the polite form of the verb, used in formal situations and with people you don't know well. ⚫︎ The base form of the verb "to study" is べんきょうする (benkyou suru). ⚫︎ The ます (masu) form is created by removing る (ru) from the dictionary form and adding ます. ⚫︎ This form can also be used to indicate present and future tense. ⚫︎ Other examples: 食べます (tabemasu - eat), 飲みます (nomimasu - drink).

The phrase 学校で (gakkou de) is a fixed expression. ⚫︎ It combines the noun 学校 (gakkou - school) with the particle で (de). ⚫︎ It functions as a single phrase indicating the location where the action of studying takes place. ⚫︎ The meaning translates to "at school" or "in school".