About This Lesson
Use Basic Place and Time Questions to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
それはどこですか？
soh-REH wa DOH-koh dess-KAH Where is it?
B
あなたはどこにいますか？
ah-NAH-tah wa DOH-koh nee ee-MAHS-kah Where are you?
A
ここで何が起きましたか？
koh-KOH deh NAH-nee gah oh-kee-mah-SHEE-tah-kah What happened here?
B
何時ですか？
NAHN-jee dess-KAH What time is it?
A
いつ来ますか？
EE-tsu KOO-mahs-kah When will you come?
B
どうして遅れましたか？
doh-SHEE-teh oh-koo-reh-mah-SHEE-tah-kah Why are you late?Word by Word
それ
In それはどこですか？, それ means “it” or “that,” referring to the thing whose location is being asked about. A reusable pattern is それは…です for saying something about that thing. You can use it when pointing to or discussing an object that is not immediately identified.
は
In それはどこですか？, は marks それ as the topic, giving the sense “as for it” or “as for that.” It follows the topic before the rest of the sentence. A reusable pattern is Xは…です for making a polite statement or question about X.
どこ
In それはどこですか？, どこ asks “where,” specifically asking for the location of それ. It appears before ですか in this polite location question. A reusable pattern is どこですか？ when asking where something is.
です
In それはどこですか？, です gives the sentence a polite form before the question marker か. Together with the preceding phrase, it helps form a polite question about location. A reusable pattern is Xですか？ for a polite question about X.
か
At the end of それはどこですか？, か marks the sentence as a question. It follows the polite ending です to form a polite question. A reusable pattern is …ですか？ when asking for confirmation or information.
あなた
In あなたはどこにいますか？, あなた means “you” and directly refers to the person being asked about. It is followed by は as the topic of the question. You can use あなた when addressing the listener directly, as in a question about their location.
に
In あなたはどこにいますか？, に marks the place where the person is present or located; here, that place is asked with どこ. A reusable location pattern is placeにいます, meaning that someone is present at a place. Use it when asking or stating where a person is.
います
In あなたはどこにいますか？, います indicates that the person is present or located somewhere. The polite form appears after the location marker に in this question. A reusable pattern is placeにいます for saying that a person is at a place.
ここ
In ここで何が起きましたか？, ここ means “here,” identifying the place where the event occurred. It is followed by で because the question concerns an event happening at that place. A reusable pattern is ここで + an event verb when asking or talking about something happening here.
で
In ここで何が起きましたか？, で marks ここ as the place where the event occurred. It connects the location with the event expressed by 起きました. A reusable pattern is placeで + an event verb for describing where something happens.
何
In ここで何が起きましたか？, 何 means “what” and asks what the event was. It is marked by が because it is the subject of 起きました in this question. A reusable pattern is 何が + a verb when asking what happened or what did something.
が
In ここで何が起きましたか？, が marks 何 as the subject of the event being asked about. The question asks what occurred here, with 何 identified as what occurred. A reusable pattern is Xが起きました for saying that an event involving X occurred.
起きました
In ここで何が起きましたか？, 起きました means “happened” or “occurred,” referring to an event that took place here. It is the polite past form used to ask about a completed event. A reusable question pattern is 何が起きましたか？ when asking what happened.
何時
In 何時ですか？, 何時 means “what time” and asks for the current time. It appears directly before ですか in this polite question. You can use 何時ですか？ when asking someone to tell you the time.
いつ
In いつ来ますか？, いつ means “when” and asks at what time the listener will come. It comes before 来ますか to ask about the timing of coming. A reusable pattern is いつ + a verb for asking when an action will take place.
来ます
In いつ来ますか？, 来ます means “come,” referring to the listener’s coming. With いつ, it asks when that coming will take place. A reusable pattern is いつ来ますか？ when asking someone when they will come.
どうして
In どうして遅れましたか？, どうして asks “why,” requesting the reason for the listener being late. It comes before the clause that describes the situation. A reusable pattern is どうして + a clause when asking why something happened.
遅れました
In どうして遅れましたか？, 遅れました means “was late” or “arrived late,” describing the listener’s lateness. It is the polite past form used to ask about a completed instance of being late. A reusable question pattern is どうして遅れましたか？ when asking someone why they were late.
Grammar Points
場所にいます
あなたはここにいます。
ah-NAH-tah wa koh-KOH nee ee-MAHSYou are here.
Japanese uses に to mark a person's location before います, meaning “to be” or “to exist.”
どうして〜ましたか
どうして遅れましたか。
doh-SHEE-teh oh-koo-reh-mah-SHEE-tah-kahWhy were you late?
どうして means “why” and comes before the polite past verb ending ました.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
ah-NAH-tah
you
あなたはどこにいますか?
いつ
adv
EE-tsu
when
いつ来ますか?
いる
verb
ee-ROO
to be; to exist (for people and animals)
います
あなたはどこにいますか?
ここ
adv
koh-KOH
here
ここで何が起きましたか?
それ
pron
soh-REH
it; that
それはどこですか?
どうして
adv
doh-SHEE-teh
why
どうして遅れましたか?
どこ
adv
DOH-koh
where
それはどこですか?
何
pron
NAH-nee
what
ここで何が起きましたか?
何時
noun
NAHN-jee
what time
何時ですか?
起きる
verb
oh-KEE-roo
to happen
起きました
何が起きましたか?
遅れる
verb
oh-koo-REH-roo
to be late
遅れました
どうして遅れましたか?
来る
verb
KOO-roo
to come
来ます
いつ来ますか?
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to happen
Show Answer
起きましたto be late
Show Answer
遅れましたwhy
Show Answer
どうしてwhat time