Lesson 10

Are you learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo? Lesson 10 teaches you how to say where things and people are. You will learn two important verbs: あります (used for things) and います (used for people and animals). This lesson also shows you location words like "under," "in," and "next to."

In this article, we will explain the grammar, important vocabulary, and give you easy example sentences. Let’s start and make Japanese fun to learn!

Lesson
Minna no Nihongo 10

📍 Focus
Location & Existence

🎓 Level
Beginner

📦

Learn to Say Where Things and People Are

📘 Vocabulary

• あります (arimasu) – There is / are (for things)
• います (imasu) – There is / are (for people/animals)
• うえ (ue) – Above / on
• した (shita) – Under / below
• まえ (mae) – In front
• うしろ (ushiro) – Behind
• なか (naka) – Inside
• そと (soto) – Outside
• となり (tonari) – Next to
• あいだ (aida) – Between

🧠 Grammar Point

Use あります for things like books or trees.
Use います for people and animals.

Pattern: [Place] に [thing/person] が あります / います。
Example: つくえの うえに ほんが あります。 → There is a book on the desk.

💬 Example Sentences

• いすの したに ねこが います。 → There is a cat under the chair.
• はこの なかに てがみが あります。 → There is a letter inside the box.
• がっこうの まえに バスていが あります。 → There is a bus stop in front of the school.
• へやに だれが いますか。 → Who is in the room?

📝 Tips for Practice

• Look around your room and say where things are in Japanese.
• Make flashcards for location words like うえ, した, まえ.
• Use small objects and practice saying where they are.
• Ask a friend "なにが ありますか？" and answer in Japanese.

📚 What’s Next?

In Lesson 11, you will learn how to count things using counters like つ (for general things). Before that, be sure you understand how to talk about places and where things or people are. It’s useful for everyday conversations!

Note: This article is for beginners learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo. Keep practicing, and you’ll improve fast!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What’s the difference between あります and います?
Use あります for things. Use います for people and animals.

Q2: Do I need to learn kanji now?
Not yet. This lesson mainly uses hiragana and katakana.

Q3: Is this lesson important?
Yes! You use location words in daily life all the time.

Q4: How can I remember location words?
Draw a picture or use objects and label them in Japanese.