Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 14

ねこは どこですかWhere is the cat?

Neko wa doko desu ka

The place words: koko (here), soko (there), asoko (over there), doko (where?). These complete the kosoado grid. Neko wa doko desu ka — Asoko desu (Where's the cat? — Over there). You also meet the verbs iku, kuru, miru, taberu, nomu, suru as vocabulary (how to use them comes in the next book). Kana: reading the place words fluently.

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ここ? あそこ?— Koko? Asoko?

  1. YukiNekowadokodesukaWhere's the cat?
  2. MikeKokodesuHere. (slip: the cat is far from me, so it should be "asoko", not "koko")
  3. YukiAsokodesuyoKokoじゃjanaidesuIt's "asoko". Not "koko".
  4. MikeAasokodesu!NekogaimasuOh, over there! There's the cat.
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いえは どこ— Where's the House?

  1. KenMaikusannoiewadokodesukaMike, where's your house?
  2. MikeAsokodesuInumoasokodesuOver there. The dog is over there too.
  3. KenIidesune!NekowadokodesukaNice! Where's the cat?
  4. MikeAnekowasokodesu!KensannonekodesukaOh, the cat is right there! Is it your cat, Ken?
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koko

pronounhere

soko

pronounthere (near you)

asoko

pronounover there

doko

pronounwhere

iku

verbto go

kuru

verbto come

miru

verbto see, to watch

taberu

verbto eat

nomu

verbto drink

suru

verbto do

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Place words: koko/soko/asoko/doko

Explanation

The kosoado grid is complete. For places: koko (near the speaker), soko (near the listener), asoko (far from both), doko (where?). It is the same idea as kore/sore/are for things. The pattern is <what/who> wa doko desu ka — koko/soko/asoko desu: Neko wa doko desu ka — Asoko desu. Ie wa doko desu ka — Soko desu.

Examples

  • ねこは どこですか。— あそこです。Where's the cat? — Over there.
  • いぬは ここです。ねこは そこです。The dog is here. The cat is there.
  • いえは どこですか。— あそこです。Where's the house? — Over there.
  • みずは どこですか。— ここです。Where's the water? — Here.
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ひらがな: こそあどを すらすら— Hiragana: The kosoado Series Fluently

Read them in rows:

  • これ・それ・あれ・どれkore · sore · are · dorethings: this / that / that over there / which
  • ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこkoko · soko · asoko · dokoplaces: here / there / over there / where
  • こ・そ・あ・どko · so · a · dothe four starting sounds

Read aloud:

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