← Grammar
Lesson 3N5Minna no Nihongo I

ここは しょくどうです — places and locations

Talking about places: the ここ/そこ/あそこ series, saying where something is, asking どこ, and prices with いくら / 〜円.

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ここ / そこ / あそこここ / そこ / あそこ — here / there / over there
Demonstratives

Place words: ここ near me, そこ near you, あそこ away from both. Polite: こちら/そちら/あちら.

ここは じむしょです。

This place is the office.

トイレは あそこです。

The toilet is over there.

ここ/そこ/あそこ follow the same near/mid/far logic as これ/それ/あれ, but point at places. こちら/そちら/あちら are the polite versions (also “this way / direction”).

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N は place ですSaying where something is
Location

“[Thing] は [place] です” states the location of a thing or person.

でんわは 2かいです

でんわは にかいです。

The telephone is on the 2nd floor.

Here です means “is (located) at”. The topic is the thing or person; the place comes right before です.

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N は どこ です かAsking where: どこ / どちら
Question word

どこ = “where?”; どちら is the polite “where / which way?”.

トイレは どこですか。

Where is the toilet?

お国は どちらですか。

おくには どちらですか。

Where are you from? (polite)

どこ asks for a place. どちら is more polite and also asks someone's country, company or school respectfully.

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どこ の NWhich country's / maker's N
Question word

どこの N asks the origin or maker: “Which country's / company's N?” Answer with の.

これは どこの くるまですか。…日本の くるまです。

これは どこの くるまですか。…にほんの くるまです。

Which country's car is this? … It's a Japanese car.

どこ + の + noun asks “the N of where” — its country of origin or manufacturer. The answer reuses の: 日本の くるま.

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N は いくら です か / 〜円Asking the price: いくら / 〜円
Question word

いくら = “how much?”. Prices are given in 〜円 (yen).

これは いくらですか。…300円です。

これは いくらですか。…さんびゃくえんです。

How much is this? … It's 300 yen.

いくら asks the price and sits where the amount will go. Amounts use the counter 円 (yen): 100円, 300円.

  • Some readings change before 百: さんびゃく (300), はっぴゃく (800).