Translated examples
本は机の上にあります。
The book is on the desk.
猫は椅子の下にいます。
The cat is under the chair.
学校は駅の前にあります。
The school is in front of the station.
ペンはかばんの中にあります。
The pen is inside the bag.
Try this before moving on
Answer three questions on this topic and see the explanation after each one.
Try three questionsCompare the sentences
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 駅の前で友達を待ちます。 | I wait for a friend in front of the station. |
| 友達は駅の前にいます。 | My friend is in front of the station. |
駅の前 is the same location in both sentences. 待ちます describes an activity there, so it uses で; います locates a person, so it uses に. In 本は机の上にあります, は introduces the known book and に follows the entire location phrase.
Learn the reference point and position together
| Position word | Reading | Basic meaning | Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 上 | うえ | on / above | 机の上 |
| 下 | した | under / below | 机の下 |
| 中 | なか | inside | 箱の中 |
| 前 | まえ | in front of | 駅の前 |
| 後ろ | うしろ | behind | いすの後ろ |
| 隣 | となり | next to | 机の隣 |
| 近く | ちかく | near | 学校の近く |
| 間 | あいだ | between | 銀行と駅の間 |
The noun before の is the reference point, not necessarily the thing being located. In 本は机の上にあります, the book is being located and the desk supplies the reference point. 上 does not always require physical contact; context establishes “on” versus “above.”
Locate an object or a person
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Place に noun が あります | 箱の中に鍵があります。 | There is a key inside the box. |
| Noun は place に あります | 鍵は箱の中にあります。 | The key is inside the box. |
| Noun は place に います | 猫はいすの下にいます。 | The cat is under the chair. |
の connects the reference noun to the position word. に follows the complete location phrase. In the beginner phrase 机の上に, do not put に between 机 and 上. The existence lesson explains how the verb depends on what is located.
Distinguish nearby from directly next to
学校の近くに店があります says a shop is near the school. 学校の隣に店があります places it next to the school. The first does not give an exact distance; the second describes a closer spatial relationship. Do not invent a fixed number of metres for 近く.
For “between A and B,” join the two reference points with と: 銀行と駅の間にカフェがあります, “There is a café between the bank and the station.” Identify both reference points before choosing the position.
Use で when describing an activity there
木の下で本を読みます。— I read a book under the tree.
木の下に本があります。— There is a book under the tree.
The position phrase is the same, but the activity sentence takes で and the existence sentence takes に. A position word does not by itself determine the final particle. Use に versus で to check the relationship.
Practice with an imagined room
The book is on the desk; the bag is under the desk; the cat is next to the chair.
- Complete “on the desk”: 机（の・に）上。
- Locate the book: 本は机の上（に・で）あります。
- Locate the bag under the desk with a full sentence.
- Choose the verb: 猫はいすの隣に（あります・います）。
- Say “I read under the tree”: 木の下（に・で）本を読みます。
- Complete “between the bank and the station”: 銀行（と・の）駅の間。
Show answers and explanations
Answers and explanations
- の. It connects the desk and 上.
- に. The sentence locates an object with あります.
- かばんは机の下にあります。— The whole phrase 机の下 takes に.
- います. A cat uses the existence verb for an animal.
- で. This is where reading takes place.
- と. The phrase has two reference points: 銀行と駅.
Try describing your own room, changing at least two positions. For a question about a particular object, see where something is.
Sources
Practice and explanations
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History and self-check answers
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