Lesson 3 – Grammar Notes
This file contains grammar explanations for Minna no Nihongo Lesson 3, with Japanese examples (with spaces and furigana in parentheses) and English translations.
1. ここ／そこ／あそこ／こちら／そちら／あちら (Place Demonstratives)
(Here / There (near listener) / Over there / Direction words)
The demonstratives これ, それ, and あれ discussed in Lesson 2 refer to things, while ここ, そこ, and あそこ refer to places:
- ここ: the place where the speaker is
- そこ: the place where the listener is
- あそこ: the place far from both the speaker and the listener
こちら, そちら, and あちら are demonstrative words referring to direction. They are also used to refer to location, in which case they are politer than ここ, そこ, and あそこ.
Note: When the speaker regards the listener as sharing their territory, the place where both are is designated by ここ. そこ designates a place a little distant from both, and あそこ designates an even more distant location.
2. N1 は N2 (place) です (Location Pattern)
(N1 is at/in N2)
Using this sentence pattern, you can explain where a place, a thing, or a person is.
Examples:
The telephone is on the second floor.
📝
山田(やまだ) さん は 事務所(じむしょ) です。
Mr. Yamada is in the office.
3. どこ／どちら (Question Words for Location)
(Where / Which direction - polite form)
どこ means "where," and どちら means "which direction." どちら can also mean "where" and is politer than どこ.
Examples:
Where's the elevator?
…It's in that direction. (It's there.)
どこ or どちら is also used to ask the name of a country, company, school, or any place or organization a person belongs to. どちら is politer than どこ. You cannot use なん (what).
What's the name of your school?
What company do you work for?
4. N1 の N2 (Origin and Maker)
(N2 made by/in N1)
When N1 is the name of a country and N2 is a product, it means that N2 is made in that country. When N1 is the name of a company and N2 is a product, it means that N2 is made by that company. In this structure, どこ is used to ask where or by whom N2 is made.
Examples:
Where is this computer made? / Who is the maker of this computer?
5. The こ／そ／あ／ど system of demonstrative words (Summary Chart)
(Complete system of demonstratives)
This table shows the complete pattern of demonstrative words you have learned so far:
| こ series | そ series | あ series | ど series |
|---|
| thing | これ | それ | あれ | どれ (L.8) |
| thing + noun | この N | その N | あの N | どの N (L.16) |
| place | ここ | そこ | あそこ | どこ |
| direction | こちら | そちら | あちら | どちら |
| place (polite) | こちら | そちら | あちら | どちら |
6. お国(くに) (Polite Prefix)
(Honorific prefix for respect)
The prefix お is added to a word concerning the listener or a third person in order to express the speaker's respect to the person.
Examples: