Find people and places
Distinguish あります and います, then ask where something is.
What you’ll work on
- Use あります for things and います for people or animals
- Locate something with に
- Ask for a place and understand basic directions
A short conversation
Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback. Kana readings help you read the written words; they do not show pitch accent.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- すみません。sumimasenExcuse me
- えきekistation
- はwatopic markerPronounced wa. Marks what the comment is about; it does not mean “is”.
- どこdokowhere
- ですdesuis (polite)
- か。kaquestion markerMakes the sentence a question.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- あのanothat (over there)
- ぎんこうginkoubank
- のnolinking particleLinks the following noun to the preceding word; its English wording depends on the relationship.
- となりtonarinext to
- です。desupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- えきekistation
- にnitime, destination, or location marker
- トイレtoirerestroom
- がgasubject / focus markerMarks the subject or the item described with expressions such as 好き and わかる.
- ありますarimasuexists / have (that experience)The context decides whether this means existence or a previously mentioned experience.
- か。kaquestion markerMakes the sentence a question; English often changes its word order instead.
ありますか asks whether something exists. English expresses the same idea with “Is there …?”.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- はい、haiyes
- あります。arimasuexists / have (that experience)The context decides whether this means existence or a previously mentioned experience.
There is: two useful verbs
Use あります for the existence of things and います for people and animals in basic examples. Place + に + thing/person + が + あります/います introduces what is there.
The location uses に, not the action-location で. For a known thing as the topic, use 本は机の上にあります: the book is on the desk. は and が serve different information roles; they are not interchangeable labels for “subject.”
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- こうえんkouenpark
- にnilocation of existence
- ねこnekocat
- がgasubject markerMarks the subject in this pattern; it has no separate English word here.
- います。imasuthere is (person or animal; polite)
English puts “there is” first; Japanese places the existence verb at the end.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- つくえtsukuedesk
- のnolinking particleLinks the following noun to the preceding word; its English wording depends on the relationship.
- うえueon / above
- にnitime, destination, or location marker
- ほんhonbook
- がgasubject / focus markerMarks the subject or the item described with expressions such as 好き and わかる.
- あります。arimasuexists / have (that experience)The context decides whether this means existence or a previously mentioned experience.
机の上 means “on top of the desk”; に marks that location. English does not need a separate word for every Japanese particle.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- ほんhonbook
- はwatopic markerPronounced wa. Marks what the comment is about; it does not mean “is”.
- つくえtsukuedesk
- のうえにnouenion top of / on
- あります。arimasube / exist (thing; polite)
Locate things relative to other things
Use noun + の + location word: 銀行の隣, next to the bank; 机の上, on the desk. どこ asks where. The short answer 銀行の隣です is natural when the place being discussed is clear.
右 and 左 mean right and left. まっすぐ means straight ahead. Learn directions with a map and repeat the key place to confirm that you understood.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- えきekistation
- はwatopic markerPronounced wa. Marks what the sentence is about; it does not mean “is”.
- ぎんこうginkoubank
- のnolinking particleLinks the following noun to the preceding word; its English wording depends on the relationship.
- となりtonarinext to
- です。desupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- トイレtoirerestroom
- はwatopic markerPronounced wa. Marks what the sentence is about; it does not mean “is”.
- みぎmigiright
- です。desupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
右 names the right side. English adds “on” to express the location naturally.
Lesson vocabulary
Listen once, say it aloud, and try to recall the Japanese before looking.
| Japanese / reading | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| 駅 えき | station | |
| 銀行 ぎんこう | bank | |
| 隣 となり | next to / neighbor | |
| 上 うえ | above / on top | |
| 右 みぎ | right | |
| 左 ひだり | left |
Practice questions
Try every question, then check your answers. Punctuation and spacing do not affect your score. Use the displayed Japanese spelling or the complete kana reading; mixed spellings are accepted only when explicitly listed. Long vowels, small kana, and verb endings matter.
Showing an answer makes that question a practice item worth zero for this attempt. Retry with the answers hidden when you’re ready. If audio cannot play, use Show answer / text to practice by reading.
Independent practice
These are independent practice tasks. The site does not record your voice, save your writing, or grade open-ended answers. Ask a teacher or conversation partner for feedback when you can.
Speaking practice
Place a book and a toy animal in different positions. Say where each one is, choosing あります or います.
Writing practice
Draw a simple map and write three location sentences with の and に.
Review the lesson objectives
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