PRESTUDY: どこdokoですdesuかka？

Where Is It? — ここkoko・そこsoko・あそこasoko

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

In this lesson, you will learn how to:

• Ask where something is
• Say "here," "there," and "over there"
• Answer "Where is ___?" questions

THE BIG IDEA: ここkoko・そこsoko・あそこasoko

English Explanation

In Lesson 2 you learned これkore・それsore・あれare for pointing at things.

Now we learn the place versions — same distance logic!

• ここkoko = here — near me

• そこsoko = there — near you

• あそこasoko = over there — far from both of us

📍

ここkoko

here (near me)

→

📍

そこsoko

there (near you)

→

📍

あそこasoko

over there

Lesson 2 ↔ Lesson 3 Connection

Thing (Lesson 2)		Place (Lesson 3)
これkore — this	↔	ここkoko — here
それsore — that	↔	そこsoko — there
あれare — that over there	↔	あそこasoko — over there

PATTERN 1: ASKING WHERE

"Where is the ___?"

Pattern: [noun]はwaどこdokoですdesuかka？

How to use

Put the thing you're looking for before はwa, then say どこdokoですdesuかka？ (where is it?)

どこdoko = where

EXAMPLES

• ほんhonはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Where is the book?

• ペンpenはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Where is the pen?

• かばんkabanはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Where is the bag?

THING WORDS (NOUNS)

Japanese	Reading	English
ほんhon	hon	book
ペンpen	pen	pen
ノートnōto	nōto	notebook
かばんkaban	kaban	bag
でんわdenwa	denwa	phone
かぎkagi	kagi	key
とけいtokei	tokei	clock
つくえtsukue	tsukue	desk
いすisu	isu	chair
みずmizu	mizu	water

PATTERN 1: PRACTICE

Activity 1: Match the question

Click the correct English meaning.

1. ほんhonはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？

2. かぎkagiはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？

3. でんわdenwaはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？

Activity 2: Build the question

Click the words in the correct order.

1. Where is the book?

2. Where is the bag?

3. Where is the clock?

PATTERN 2: ANSWERING WHERE

"The ___ is here / there / over there."

Pattern: [noun]はwa ここkoko/そこsoko/あそこasoko ですdesu。

How to use

When someone asks どこdokoですdesuかka？, answer with the location word that matches the distance:

• ここkoko = here (near me, the speaker)

• そこsoko = there (near you, the listener)

• あそこasoko = over there (far from both of us)

EXAMPLES

• ほんhonはwaここkokoですdesu。
The book is here.

• ペンpenはwaそこsokoですdesu。
The pen is there.

• かばんkabanはwaあそこasokoですdesu。
The bag is over there.

LOCATION WORDS

Japanese	Reading	English
ここkoko	koko	here (near me)
そこsoko	soko	there (near you)
あそこasoko	asoko	over there (far)
どこdoko	doko	where?

PATTERN 2: PRACTICE

Activity 1: Choose the correct location word

Click the right word to complete each sentence.

1. ほんhonはwa（　　）ですdesu。 — The book is here (near me).

2. ペンpenはwa（　　）ですdesu。 — The pen is there (near you).

3. かばんkabanはwa（　　）ですdesu。 — The bag is over there (far away).

Activity 2: Match the answer to the question

Click the correct English meaning.

1. ノートnōtoはwaここkokoですdesu。

2. でんわdenwaはwaあそこasokoですdesu。

3. かぎkagiはwaそこsokoですdesu。

Activity 3: Build the answer

Click the words in the correct order.

1. The book is here.

2. The bag is over there.

CONVERSATION PREVIEW

CONTEXT / じょうきょうjōkyō

Yuki can't find things in the classroom. Alex helps.
ゆきYukiがgaきょうしつkyōshitsuでdeものmonoをwoさがしてsagashiteいますimasu。アレックスArekkusuがgaてつだいますtetsudaimasu。

How to read this

Read through the conversation slowly. The words in italics are the patterns you are learning. English translations are below each line.

YUKI: わたしwatashiのnoペンpenはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Where is my pen?

ALEX: ペンpenはwaそこsokoですdesu。
The pen is there.

YUKI: あa、ありがとうarigatō！ノートnōtoはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Oh, thanks! Where is the notebook?

ALEX: ノートnōtoはwaここkokoですdesu。
The notebook is here.

YUKI: じゃあjaa、わたしwatashiのnoかばんkabanはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Then, where is my bag?

ALEX: かばんkabanはwaあそこasokoですdesu。
The bag is over there.

YUKI: ありがとうarigatō、アレックスArekkusuさんsan！
Thanks, Alex!

TRAVEL IN JAPAN: ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS

Imagine you're at a train station in Tokyo. Read the conversation out loud!

NEW WORDS
すみませんsumimasen (excuse me) トイレtoire (toilet/restroom)
でぐちdeguchi (exit) コンビニkonbini (convenience store)
ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu (thank you)

YOU: すみませんsumimasen、トイレtoireはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Excuse me, where is the restroom?

STAFF: トイレtoireはwaあそこasokoですdesu。
The restroom is over there.

YOU: ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu！でぐちdeguchiはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Thank you! Where is the exit?

STAFF: でぐちdeguchiはwaそこsokoですdesu。
The exit is there.

YOU: コンビニkonbiniはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？
Where is the convenience store?

STAFF: コンビニkonbiniはwaここkokoですdesu。
The convenience store is right here.

YOU: ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu！
Thank you very much!

PRESTUDY COMPLETE!

Prestudy Checklist:

✔ ここkoko = here / そこsoko = there / あそこasoko = over there

✔ Pattern 1: [noun]はwaどこdokoですdesuかka？ — "Where is ___?"

✔ Pattern 2: [noun]はwaここkoko/そこsoko/あそこasokoですdesu。 — "The ___ is here/there/over there."

KEY EXPRESSIONS — もういちどmō ichidoよんでyondeみましょうmimashō！

• ほんhonはwaどこdokoですdesuかka？ — Where is the book?
• ほんhonはwaここkokoですdesu。 — The book is here.
• ペンpenはwaそこsokoですdesu。 — The pen is there.
• かばんkabanはwaあそこasokoですdesu。 — The bag is over there.

You are ready!

You now know the key patterns and vocabulary for Lesson 3. In class, you will practice asking where things are, answering with location words, and doing a "Find Your Lost Items" roleplay with your tutor.