Nihongo - First Step

Grammar Notes

Nan means "what".
Doko means "where".

Uchi means "house" or "home".

In English, you always put "you" or "your" like "your house".
"You" in Japanese is Anata, and "your" is Anata no, Anata no uchi "your house".
"I" is Watashi, "my" is Watashi no, Watashi no uchi, "my house".

However, we usually omit to put "you" or "your" as well as "I" or "my" when it is clearly understood.
When someone asked you Uchi wa doko desu ka?, he/she is asking about your house.

The translation of "Where do you live?" is Doko ni sundeimasu ka?.
But, this is usually used to ask about someone who lives far way such as someone's parents.
Use Uchi wa doko desu ka? when you ask someone face to face.

Practice 1

Let's practice the following words.

	うち	house, home
	かいしゃ	company, office
	えき	train station
	トイレ	toilet, bathroom

Practice 2

Let's make sentences and speak it.

	それは　なんですか。
	What is that?
	これは　なんですか。
	What is this?
	うちは　どこですか。
	Where do you live? (Where is your house?)
	かいしゃは　どこですか。
	Where is your office?
	えきは　どこですか。
	Where is the train station?
	トイレは　どこですか。
	Where is the bathroom?