Minna no Nihongo Lesson 10 teaches how to describe locations, use position words, and ask where things are.
Students learn how to talk about what is “on”, “under”, “next to”, “inside”, and use the particle に for location.
1. Lesson Focus
Lesson 10 helps learners understand how to:
• Describe where an object or person is
• Use position / location words correctly
• Use the particle に for existence and location
• Use あります (there is / exists for things)
• Use います (there is / exists for people & animals)
• Ask “Where is ~?”
• Talk about buildings, rooms, and common items
2. Key Vocabulary (Simple Meanings)
A. Location / Position Words
• うえ – on / above
• した – under / below
• まえ – in front of
• うしろ – behind
• となり – next to
• そば – beside / near
• あいだ – between
• なか – inside
• そと – outside
• ちかく – nearby
• きょうしつ – classroom
• へや – room
• いえ / うち – house
• レストラン – restaurant
B. Verbs of Existence
• あります – there is / exists (for objects, plants, items)
• います – there is / exists (for people, animals)
Examples:
• There is a book. → ほんがあります。
• There is a teacher. → せんせいがいます。
3. Grammar Explanation
A. Location Sentence Structure
Basic form:
Noun (place) + に + Noun (thing) + が + あります / います。
Examples:
• There is a chair in the room.
• A cat is in the house.
• A shop is near the station.
B. Position Words + に
To show exact position:
Place + の + Position + に
Examples:
• The bag is under the table.
• The TV is beside the sofa.
• The school is in front of the park.
• The post office is between the bank and the supermarket.
C. Asking “Where is ~?”
Structure:
~ は どこに ありますか / いますか。
Examples:
• Where is the library?
• Where is your house?
• Where is the teacher?
D. Difference Between あります and います
• あります → non-living things
(book, key, tree, building, bag)
• います → living things
(people, pets, animals)
Examples:
• There is a dog. → いぬがいます。
• There is a park. → こうえんがあります。
4. Example Sentences (Simple English)
• The cat is under the table.
• The bank is next to the hotel.
• The book is inside the bag.
• The teacher is in the classroom.
• The station is in front of the supermarket.
• Where is the restaurant?
• There is a park near the school.
5. What Students Can Do After Lesson 10
By the end of Lesson 10, learners can:
• Describe the location of any object
• Talk about where people and places exist
• Ask for directions in simple Japanese
• Use position words naturally
• Understand sentences using に, あります, います