How can I ask the place of something in Japanese?
How to ask “where” in Japanese
When we ask the place in Japanese,
どこ
doko
where
is used.
And pay attention to the grammar pattern when using どこ (doko), it’s
Xはどこですか。
X wa doko desu ka.
and NOT どこはＸですか。NEVER!
So, for example,
トイレはどこですか。
toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the toilet?
is correct one.
How to answer?
When being asked with Xはどこですか。like
トイレはどこですか。
toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the toilet?
we can answer like this :
witha demonstrative for place :
ここ（そこ、あそこ）です。
koko (soko, asoko) desu.
It’s here (there, over there).
with a concrete place information :
２階です。
ni kai desu.
It’s on the 2nd floor.
Basically, you don’t need to repeat the “X” part, but still, if you do want to repeat, it’s possible like :
トイレはそこです。
toire wa soko desu.
The toilet is there.
Tips 1
As we learnt in a previous lesson, there isa formal way for the demonstrative for place :
こちら
kochira
Here
そちら
sochira
There
あちら
achira
Over there
and there is also
どちら
dochira
WHere
for どこ (doko).
So, we can say like this :
トイレはどちらですか。
toire wa dochira desu ka.
Where is the toilet?
こちら（そちら、あちら）です。
kochira (sochira, achira) desu.
It’s here (there, over there).
*This formality can be heard at stores, for example.
Tips 2
It may sound strange but we can also use Xはどこですか。 for asking where a person is, like this :
花子はどこですか。
Hanako wa doko desu ka.
Where is Hanako?
and can answer like this :
花子は２階です。
Hanako wa ni kai desu.
Hanako is on the 2nd floor.
Comment