ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ

A set of place words based on distance: ここ is where the speaker is standing, そこ is near the listener, あそこ is far from both, and どこ asks "where." They are nouns, so they work with particles: ここに, あそこで, どこへ….

To speak more politely, use the set こちら・そちら・あちら・どちら — which indicate both place and direction. When asking for directions or speaking to customers, どちら sounds more polite than どこ.

Examples

• ここは教室(きょうしつ)です。

  This is the classroom.

• トイレはどこですか。

  Where is the restroom?

• あそこに銀行(ぎんこう)があります。

  There is a bank over there.

Related patterns

• これ・それ・あれ・どれ
• 〜があります
• なに・だれ・いつ・どこ・どうして