ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ
Here, there, over there, where
You’ll be able to describe locations near or far from you and ask where something is.
駅はどこですか。
eki wa doko desu ka.
What do you think this sentence means?
Where is the station?
Talk about places by distance
Use ここ for “here,” そこ for “there” near the listener, and あそこ for a place away from both people. Use どこ to ask “where?”
トイレはどこですか。
toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the restroom?
駅はあそこです。
eki wa asoko desu.
The station is over there.
Use them as place words
These words act like nouns for places and can take particles such as は, に, and で.
教室はここです。
kyoushitsu wa koko desu.
The classroom is here.
そこにかばんがあります。
soko ni kaban ga arimasu.
There is a bag there.
あそこは学校です。
asoko wa gakkou desu.
That place over there is a school.
これ vs ここ
これ points at a thing. ここ points at a place — it is where something is, not what it is.
ここ, here
教室はここです。
kyoushitsu wa koko desu.
The classroom is here.
ここ points to the location of the classroom.
これ, this thing
これは鍵です。
kore wa kagi desu.
This is a key.
The word names the object in your hand.
トイレはどこですか。
toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the restroom?
駅はあそこです。
eki wa asoko desu.
The station is over there.
教室はここです。
kyoushitsu wa koko desu.
The classroom is here.
13 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.