ここ・そこ・あそこ
These words point to places near the speaker, near the listener, or away from both.
Reception is over there.
ここは どこですか
These notes follow the grammar progression in the supplied Kanrin / Minna no Nihongo material. Each rule is summarized in English and paired with a fresh Japanese example, reading support, and translation.
Read the rule, cover the translation, and say the Japanese example aloud once.
These words point to places near the speaker, near the listener, or away from both.
Reception is over there.
Use です after a place to say where a person, room, or object is located.
The dining hall is on the second floor.
どこ asks “where.” どちら is both more polite and useful for asking direction or affiliation.
Which country are you from?
Place a country or company before の to state where a product comes from or who made it.
This is a Japanese car.
Use いくら to ask the price of an item.
How much is this watch?
here, this place
there, that place near the listener
that place over there
where, what place
this way, this place (polite equivalent of ここ)
that way, that place near the listener (polite equivalent of そこ)
that way, that place over there (polite equivalent of あそこ)
which way, where (polite equivalent of どこ)
classroom
dining hall, canteen
office
conference room, meeting room
reception desk
lobby
room
toilet, rest room
staircase
lift, elevator
escalator
vending machine
telephone handset, telephone call
country
company
house, home
shoes
tie, necktie
wine
department, counter (in a department store, etc.)
basement
-th floor
what floor
- yen
how much
hundred
thousand
ten thousand
Excuse me.
Thanks.
Welcome./May I help you? (a greeting to a customer or a guest entering a shop, etc.)
Please show me [~].
well, then, in that case
Give me [~], please.
Italy
Switzerland
France
Jakarta
Bangkok
Berlin
name of a station in Osaka