"Where is the toilet?" "Is there a convenience store near here?" These are the first questions you ask in a new place. Japanese uses two verbs for "to be/exist": one for things and one for living beings.
ここ, そこ, あそこ, どこ
| Word | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| ここ (koko) | here, near me | ▶ |
| そこ (soko) | there, near you | ▶ |
| あそこ (asoko) | over there, far from both | ▶ |
| どこ (doko) | where | ▶ |
| こちら / そちら / あちら / どちら | polite forms (also "this way") | ▶ |
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| トイレは どこですか。 | toire wa doko desu ka. | शौचालय कहाँ छ? | Where is the toilet? | ▶ |
| トイレは あそこです。 | toire wa asoko desu. | शौचालय उता छ। | The toilet is over there. | ▶ |
| えきは どこですか。 | eki wa doko desu ka. | स्टेसन कहाँ छ? | Where is the station? | ▶ |
| ここは どこですか。 | koko wa doko desu ka. | यो कुन ठाउँ हो? | Where is this place? | ▶ |
あります and います: to exist
| Verb | Used for | Example | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| あります | things, plants, events (not alive, or not moving by themselves) | つくえの うえに ほんが あります。 | ▶ |
| います | people and animals (living) | にわに ねこが います。 | ▶ |
Where is it?
(place) に (thing) が あります / います
に marks the place where something exists. が marks the thing that exists (the new information).
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| へやに テレビが あります。 | heya ni terebi ga arimasu. | कोठामा टिभी छ। | There is a TV in the room. | ▶ |
| へやに だれが いますか。 | heya ni dare ga imasu ka. | कोठामा को छ? | Who is in the room? | ▶ |
| ともだちが います。 | tomodachi ga imasu. | साथी छ। | A friend is there. | ▶ |
| くるまが ありません。 | kuruma ga arimasen. | गाडी छैन। | There is no car. | ▶ |
| ここに なにが ありますか。 | koko ni nani ga arimasu ka. | यहाँ के छ? | What is here? | ▶ |
The other direction: (thing) は (place) に あります / います when the thing is already the topic: トイレは 2かいに あります (The toilet is on the 2nd floor). に is also used for have: see the tip below.
With に + あります / います you can also say I have (for things or relatives): わたしは くるまが あります (I have a car), きょうだいが います (I have siblings). Use が: the thing owned takes が.
Position words
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| うえ | ue | माथि | above, on top | ▶ |
| した | shita | तल | below, under | ▶ |
| なか | naka | भित्र | inside | ▶ |
| そと | soto | बाहिर | outside | ▶ |
| まえ | mae | अगाडि | front, before | ▶ |
| うしろ | ushiro | पछाडि | behind | ▶ |
| よこ | yoko | छेउमा | beside, side | ▶ |
| となり | tonari | छिमेकमा / छेउमा | next door, next to | ▶ |
| ちかく | chikaku | नजिक | near, nearby | ▶ |
| あいだ | aida | बीचमा | between | ▶ |
| みぎ | migi | दायाँ | right | ▶ |
| ひだり | hidari | बायाँ | left | ▶ |
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| つくえの うえに ほんが あります。 | tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu. | डेस्कमाथि किताब छ। | There is a book on the desk. | ▶ |
| かばんの なかに さいふが あります。 | kaban no naka ni saifu ga arimasu. | झोलाभित्र पर्स छ। | There is a wallet in the bag. | ▶ |
| いすの したに ねこが います。 | isu no shita ni neko ga imasu. | कुर्सीमुनि बिरालो छ। | There is a cat under the chair. | ▶ |
| えきの まえに コンビニが あります。 | eki no mae ni konbini ga arimasu. | स्टेसनको अगाडि सुविधा पसल छ। | There is a convenience store in front of the station. | ▶ |
| ぎんこうの となりに ゆうびんきょくが あります。 | ginkou no tonari ni yuubinkyoku ga arimasu. | बैंकको छेउमा हुलाक कार्यालय छ। | There is a post office next to the bank. | ▶ |
| この ちかくに コンビニが ありますか。 | kono chikaku ni konbini ga arimasu ka. | यहाँ नजिक सुविधा पसल छ? | Is there a convenience store near here? | ▶ |
The pattern is (reference) の (position word): つくえ の うえ literally "the desk's top".
Places in town
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| えき | eki | स्टेसन | station | ▶ |
| ぎんこう | ginkou | बैंक | bank | ▶ |
| ゆうびんきょく | yuubinkyoku | हुलाक कार्यालय | post office | ▶ |
| コンビニ | konbini | सुविधा पसल | convenience store | ▶ |
| スーパー | suupaa | सुपरमार्केट | supermarket | ▶ |
| びょういん | byouin | अस्पताल | hospital | ▶ |
| くすりや / ドラッグストア | kusuriya / doraggu sutoa | औषधि पसल | pharmacy, drugstore | ▶ |
| こうえん | kouen | पार्क | park | ▶ |
| としょかん | toshokan | पुस्तकालय | library | ▶ |
| がっこう | gakkou | विद्यालय | school | ▶ |
| くうこう | kuukou | विमानस्थल | airport | ▶ |
| こうばん | kouban | प्रहरी चौकी (कोबान) | police box | ▶ |
| トイレ / おてあらい | toire / otearai | शौचालय | toilet, restroom | ▶ |
| エレベーター | erebeetaa | लिफ्ट | elevator | ▶ |
| かいだん | kaidan | भ्याङ | stairs | ▶ |
| いりぐち / でぐち | iriguchi / deguchi | प्रवेश / निकास | entrance / exit | ▶ |
Floors: 〜かい (1F いっかい, 2F にかい, 3F さんがい, 4F よんかい, 5F ごかい). ちか = basement. The koban (こうばん) is a small neighbourhood police box where you can ask for directions or help.
で or に?
| Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| に | where something exists (あります / います) | ここに ほんが あります。 |
| で | where an action happens | ここで はたらきます。 |
Kanji spotlight
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 上 | ue / jou | माथि | up, above (うえ) | ▶ |
| 下 | shita / ka | तल | down, below (した) | ▶ |
| 中 | naka / chuu | बीच / भित्र | inside, middle (なか) | ▶ |
| 外 | soto / gai | बाहिर | outside (そと) | ▶ |
| 前 | mae / zen | अगाडि | front, before (まえ) | ▶ |
| 右 | migi | दायाँ | right (みぎ) | ▶ |
| 左 | hidari | बायाँ | left (ひだり) | ▶ |
| 入口 | iriguchi | प्रवेश | entrance | ▶ |
| 出口 | deguchi | निकास | exit | ▶ |
Dialogue: where is the toilet?
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | すみません。 トイレは どこですか。 | sumimasen. toire wa doko desu ka. | माफ गर्नुहोस्। शौचालय कहाँ छ? Excuse me. Where is the toilet? | ▶ |
| B | あそこです。 エレベーターの となりです。 | asoko desu. erebeetaa no tonari desu. | उता छ। लिफ्टको छेउमा। Over there, next to the elevator. | ▶ |
| A | この ちかくに コンビニが ありますか。 | kono chikaku ni konbini ga arimasu ka. | यहाँ नजिक सुविधा पसल छ? Is there a convenience store near here? | ▶ |
| B | はい、えきの まえに あります。 | hai, eki no mae ni arimasu. | छ, स्टेसनको अगाडि छ। Yes, there is one in front of the station. | ▶ |
| A | ありがとうございます。 | arigatou gozaimasu. | धन्यवाद। Thank you. | ▶ |
Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.
Check yourself
Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.
- Ask "Where is the toilet?"
- Which verb is for people and animals, あります or います?
- Say "There is a book on the desk."
- Say "There is a cat under the chair."
- Which particle marks the place where something exists?
- Which particle marks the place where an action happens?
- What does ここ, そこ, あそこ mean?
- Ask "Is there a convenience store near here?"
- Say "I have a car" with あります.
- Which floor is さんがい?
Answers
Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.
- トイレは どこですか。
- います.
- つくえの うえに ほんが あります。
- いすの したに ねこが います。
- に.
- で.
- here (near me), there (near you), over there (far from both).
- この ちかくに コンビニが ありますか。
- わたしは くるまが あります。
- The 3rd floor (note the がい).
Comments
Loading comments…