About This Lesson
Use Basic movement, home, and neighborhood to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
今、そちらに行きます。
ee-MAH, soh-chee-rah nee ee-kee-MAHS. I am coming now.
B
家に帰ります。
ee-eh nee kah-eh-ree-MAHS. I am going home.
A
家にいます。
ee-eh nee ee-MAHSS. I am at home.
B
今、外にいます。
ee-MAH, soh-toh nee ee-MAHSS. I am outside now.
A
戻ります。
moh-doh-ree-MAHS. I will be back.
B
この近くに住んでいます。
koh-noh chee-kah-koo nee soon-deh ee-MAHSS. I live near here.Word by Word
今
今 means “now” in 今、そちらに行きます and 今、外にいます, marking the current time. It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to show when an action or situation is happening. Use it when telling someone what is happening at this moment.
そちら
そちら means “there” or “toward you” in 今、そちらに行きます, referring to the other person’s side or location. Here, it combines with に to show the direction of movement. Use it when telling someone that you are going to their location.
に
に connects a place with movement or presence in そちらに行きます, 家に帰ります, and 家にいます. It marks a destination in the first two expressions and a location in the last one. A useful pattern is a place followed by に and then a movement or location expression.
行きます
行きます means “go” in 今、そちらに行きます; because the movement is toward the other person’s side, the natural English translation here is “I am coming now.” It is the polite form used for going to a place, with the destination marked by に. Use the pattern place + に行きます when telling someone where you are going.
家
家 means “home” or “house” in 家に帰ります and 家にいます. In these expressions, it identifies the place the speaker returns to or is currently located in. Use 家 with に when saying that someone is going home, returning home, or being at home.
帰ります
帰ります means “return” or “go home” in 家に帰ります. It is the polite form related to the citation form 帰る and describes returning to home or another usual place. Use the pattern place + に帰ります when telling someone where you are returning.
います
います means “be” or “stay” for a person in 家にいます. It is the polite form related to いる and is used here to report the speaker’s location. Use the pattern place + にいます when telling someone where a person is.
外
外 means “outside” in 今、外にいます, naming the location where the speaker is. The following に connects this location to います. Use 外にいます when telling someone that you are outside, such as during a phone call or when meeting someone.
戻ります
戻ります means “return” or “come back” in 戻ります, which expresses that the speaker will be back. It is the polite form related to the citation form 戻る and is used for returning to a previous place or situation. Use it when telling someone that you will return after being away.
この
この means “this” in この近く, pointing to an area connected with the current situation or speaker. It comes directly before the noun or noun-like expression it describes. Use the pattern この + place or thing when referring to something near the speaker or already understood in the conversation.
近く
近く means “nearby” or “the vicinity” in この近くに住んでいます, referring to an area close to a relevant place. In this expression, に marks that nearby area as the location of residence. Use it when describing where someone lives or where something is located in relation to a reference point.
住んでいます
住んでいます means “live” or “reside” in この近くに住んでいます, stating where the speaker currently lives. It is the polite form related to the citation form 住む, and the residence location is marked by に. Use the pattern place + に住んでいます when telling someone where you live.
Grammar Points
〜に行きます
そちらに行きます。
soh-chee-rah nee ee-kee-MAHS.I’m going there.
に marks the destination or direction of movement, as in そちらに行きます.
〜に住んでいます
近くに住んでいます。
chee-kah-koo nee soon-deh ee-MAHSS.I live nearby.
住んでいます describes a continuing state: living in a place, rather than a one-time action.
Japanese Vocabulary
います
verb
ee-MAHSS
be; be present
家にいます。
この
det
koh-noh
this
この近くに住んでいます。
そちら
pron
soh-chee-rah
there; your direction
今、そちらに行きます。
家
noun
ee-eh
home; house
家に帰ります。
外
noun
soh-toh
outside
今、外にいます。
帰ります
verb
kah-eh-ree-MAHS
return home; go home
家に帰ります。
近く
noun
chee-kah-koo
nearby; vicinity
この近くに住んでいます。
行きます
verb
ee-kee-MAHS
go; come
今、そちらに行きます。
今
adv
ee-MAH
now
今、そちらに行きます。
住んでいます
verb
soon-deh ee-MAHSS
live; be living
この近くに住んでいます。
戻ります
verb
moh-doh-ree-MAHS
return; come back
戻ります。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
return home; go home
Show Answer
帰りますreturn; come back
Show Answer
戻りますgo; come
Show Answer
行きますlive; be living