G14 · Where it is: どこ and あそこ

Before you start

The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• G01build sentences with は and です
• G02ask and answer
• G03say what something is not
• G04say whose something is
• G05point at things and ask what they are
• G06say «also»
• G07say what you do
• G08say no and talk about the past
• G09say where you go
• G10say where you do something
• G11describe things and say they aren't
• G12describe with な-adjectives and before a noun
• G13say what there is and where

What you learn

〜は どこですか／〜は あそこです

• あそこover there
• どこwhere?

ここ, そこ and あそこ follow the same logic as これ, それ and あれ: here, there and over there. どこ asks «where?». The place can take です (ぎんこうは あそこです) or あります / います (ねこは そこに います).

• ぎんこうは どこですか。ginkou wa doko desu ka.Where is the bank?
• ぎんこうは あそこです。ginkou wa asoko desu.The bank is over there.
• わたしの かばんは どこですか。watashi no kaban wa doko desu ka.Where is my bag?
• ほんは ここに あります。hon wa koko ni arimasu.The book is here.
• せんせいは あそこに います。sensei wa asoko ni imasu.The teacher is over there.
• ねこは どこに いますか。neko wa doko ni imasu ka.Where is the cat?

Practice

A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.