Lesson 10 of 50 · 〜に〜が あります・います · みんなの日本語 第10課 · N5

Story voice: 〜 N3–N2 Japanese — above this lesson’s level, on purpose. Your target is the Key Sentences.

Episode 10: Where It Hides

Mini Story

feel the tension of an empty room.

The information beckons Mike — third floor of an empty building, a small office. The lights are off. The door is not locked. Quietly, Mike goes in.情报把麦克引到这里——空楼的三层，一间小办公室。灯是灭的。门没有上锁。麦克悄悄地进去。情報把麥克引到這裡——空樓的三樓，一間小辦公室。燈是滅的。門沒有上鎖。麥克悄悄地進去。Thông tin dẫn dụ Mike đến đây — tầng ba của một toà nhà bỏ trống, một văn phòng nhỏ. Đèn đã tắt. Cửa không khóa. Lặng lẽ, Mike bước vào.
情報じょうほうjouhouがマイクを誘さそsasoう ── 空あaきビルの 3 階かいkai、 小ちいchiiさな オフィス。 灯あかakaりは消きkiえている。 扉とびらtobiraは施錠せじょうsejouされていない。 静しずshizuかに、 マイクは入いiる。

In the room, only a table at the center. And on it — the thing he came for.房间里，只有正中央一张桌子。桌子上——正是他要的东西。房間裡，只有正中央一張桌子。桌子上——正是他要的東西。Trong phòng, chỉ có một chiếc bàn ở chính giữa. Và trên bàn — chính là thứ anh đến để tìm.
部屋へやheyaには、 中央ちゅうおうchuuouの テーブル のみ。 その上うえueには ── 目的もくてきmokutekiのもの。

He reaches for the camera. He turns. A presence — heat, breath, a body. In the room, one more person.他朝相机伸出手。回头。有气息——体温、呼吸、一个身体。房间里，还有一个人。他朝相機伸出手。回頭。有氣息——體溫、呼吸、一個身體。房間裡，還有一個人。Anh với tay về phía chiếc máy ảnh. Rồi quay lại. Một sự hiện diện — hơi nóng, hơi thở, một thân người. Trong phòng, còn một người nữa.
カメラに、 手てteを伸のnoばす。 振り返るふりかえるfurikaeru。 気配けはいkehai ── 熱ねつnetsu、 息いきiki、 体からだkarada。 部屋へやheyaに、 もう一人ひとりhitori。

Time to go. But first — the key. He pats his coat. Still there. Cold, against his ribs.该走了。但在那之前——钥匙。他拍了拍外套。还在。贴着肋骨，凉凉的。該走了。但在那之前——鑰匙。他拍了拍外套。還在。貼著肋骨，涼涼的。Đến lúc phải đi. Nhưng trước đó — chiếc chìa khóa. Anh vỗ nhẹ áo khóac. Vẫn còn đó. Lạnh, áp vào xương sườn.
離はなhanaれる時ときtoki。 だが、 その前まえmaeに ── 鍵かぎkagi。 コートを叩たたtataく。 まだそこにある。 肋骨ろっこつrokkotsuに、 冷つめtsumeたく。

To the door. He hears it before he sees it. A footstep. Soft. Close.走向门口。还没看见，先听见了。脚步声。很轻。很近。走向門口。還沒看見，先聽見了。腳步聲。很輕。很近。Về phía cửa. Chưa thấy, đã nghe. Một tiếng bước chân. Khẽ. Gần.
扉とびらtobiraへ。 見みmiるより、 先さきsakiに聞きkiこえる。 足音あしおとashioto。 静しずshizuかに。 近ちかchikaい。

Chapter 5: The Locked Room →

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Key Sentences

describe your room aloud.

1. 場所ばしょbasho に N が あります (a camera on the table)

2. 場所ばしょbasho に N が います (a man inside the room)

3. N は 場所ばしょbasho に あります (the key is in the pocket)

4. N の 位置いちichi に N が います (a spy behind Mike)

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Practice out loud

Say the answer before you look. The same sentences you just read — now from your own mouth.

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Vocabulary

pair location words as opposites (上うえue／下したshita, 前まえmae／後うしushiろ, 中なかnaka／外そとsoto).

日本語	English	简体	繁體	Tiếng Việt
あります テーブルの 上うえueに カメラが あります。	exist (things, plants) There is a camera on the table.	有 / 在 桌子上有相机。	有 / 在 桌子上有相機。	có (vật) Trên bàn có máy ảnh.
います 部屋へやheyaの 中なかnakaに 男おとこotokoの人ひとhitoが います。	exist (people, animals) There is a man in the room.	有 / 在 房间里有一个男人。	有 / 在 房間裡有一個男人。	có (người, động vật) Trong phòng có một người đàn ông.
上うえue テーブルの 上うえueに 本ほんhonが あります。	on, top There is a book on the table.	上面 桌子上有书。	上面 桌子上有書。	trên Trên bàn có quyển sách.
下したshita テーブルの 下したshitaに 猫ねこnekoが います。	under There is a cat under the table.	下面 桌子下面有猫。	下面 桌子下面有貓。	dưới Dưới bàn có con mèo.
前まえmae 駅えきekiの 前まえmaeに コンビニが あります。	in front There is a convenience store in front of the station.	前面 车站前面有便利店。	前面 車站前面有便利商店。	trước Trước nhà ga có cửa hàng tiện lợi.
後うしushiろ マイクの 後うしushiろに スパイが います。	behind There is a spy behind Mike.	后面 麦克后面有间谍。	後面 麥克後面有間諜。	sau Phía sau Mike có điệp viên.
中なかnaka ポケットの 中なかnakaに 鍵かぎkagiが あります。	inside There is a key in the pocket.	里面 口袋里有钥匙。	裡面 口袋裡有鑰匙。	trong Trong túi có chìa khóa.
外そとsoto 部屋へやheyaの 外そとsotoに 犬いぬinuが います。	outside There is a dog outside the room.	外面 房间外面有狗。	外面 房間外面有狗。	ngoài Ngoài phòng có con chó.
隣となりtonari 会社かいしゃkaishaの 隣となりtonariに カフェが あります。	next to (adjacent) There is a cafe next to the company.	旁边 公司旁边有咖啡店。	旁邊 公司旁邊有咖啡店。	cạnh Bên cạnh công ty có quán cà phê.
近ちかchikaく 駅えきekiの 近ちかchikaくに デパートが あります。	near, nearby There is a department store near the station.	附近 车站附近有百货商店。	附近 車站附近有百貨公司。	gần Gần nhà ga có trung tâm thương mại.
テーブル テーブルの 上うえueに 何なにnaniが ありますか。	table What is on the table?	桌子 桌子上有什么？	桌子 桌子上有什麼？	bàn Trên bàn có gì?
ポケット 鍵かぎkagiは ポケットの 中なかnakaに あります。	pocket The key is in the pocket.	口袋 钥匙在口袋里。	口袋 鑰匙在口袋裡。	túi Chìa khóa ở trong túi.
部屋へやheya 部屋へやheyaに だれが いますか。	room Who is in the room?	房间 房间里有谁？	房間 房間裡有誰？	căn phòng Trong phòng có ai?
どこ 鍵かぎkagiは どこに ありますか。	where Where is the key?	哪里 钥匙在哪里？	哪裡 鑰匙在哪裡？	ở đâu Chìa khóa ở đâu?

Practice these words →

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Grammar Patterns

focus on あります vs います split.

Grammar Picture

• 名詞noun名词danh từ
• 助詞particle助词trợ từ
• 述語sentence ending句尾句尾phần cuối câu

Need more detail? Open the sections below.

あります vs います — which one?

The split is simple: inanimate vs animate.

• あります: things, plants, abstract — テーブル, 本ほんhon, お金かねkane, 時間じかんjikan, カメラ, 木もくmoku
• います: people, animals, anything that moves on its own — マイク, スパイ, 犬いぬinu, ねこ, 友達ともだちtomodachi

Edge cases: cars and trains use あります (treated as objects). Insects and fish use います (treated as animate).

に vs で — location particles

Both relate to locations, but they mean different things:

• に + あります／います = exists at (location of existence)
  テーブルの 上うえueに カメラが あります。
• で + action verb = where action happens (location of action, Lesson 06)
  カフェで コーヒーを 飲のnoみます。

Quick test: if the verb describes existence, use 「に」. If it describes an action, use 「で」.

Asking 'where is X?' — どこですか?

Two ways to ask:

• N は どこに ありますか？ = Where is N located? (formal, complete)
• N は どこですか？ = Where is N? (shorter, conversational)

Both work. The short form is more common in daily speech.

Answer with: 「N は 場所ばしょbashoに あります／います。」 Or even shorter: 「ポケットの 中なかnakaです。」

隣となりtonari vs 近ちかchikaく vs そば — all near, but how near?

Three words for proximity:

• 隣となりtonari (となり): directly adjacent, side by side, same category
  e.g., next-door house, person sitting next to you
• そば: very close, almost touching
  e.g., right by your side
• 近ちかchikaく (ちかく): nearby in general, broader area
  e.g., in the same neighborhood

「隣となりtonari」 implies same-category proximity. A house can be 隣となりtonari of another house, but a tree is not 隣となりtonari of a house — it's 近ちかchikaく or そば.

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Roleplay Practice

try asking 「どこに ありますか？」 for five different items.

Try this dialog with a partner (or aloud, switching roles).

Scene: Mike asks a shopkeeper for a small item. The shopkeeper helps him find it.

Practice asking 「どこに ありますか?」 / 「どこに いますか?」 for things and people in your room.

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How do you say this in Japanese?

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How to Use This Lesson

Read the sections in the order they appear. About 40 minutes.
Tomorrow, come back — close your eyes and describe where things are in your room.

For Teachers

For Teachers (45-60 minutes in class)

• Warm-up (5 min): Place objects around the room. Students identify each by location.
• Animate / inanimate sort (10 min): Picture cards of things, plants, people, animals. Sort into あります / います piles.
• Location drill (10 min): Pictures with prepositions (on, under, behind). Students make sentences with 「___の 上うえue／下したshita／後うしushiろに...」.
• Spatial map (10 min): Draw a room layout. Students describe positions.
• Roleplay (15 min): Shop or office scene. Customer asks where things are, clerk answers.
• Check Yourself (5-10 min): Individual quiz, group review.

Common pitfall: Students apply 「に」 to action verbs (e.g., 「カフェに コーヒーを 飲のnoみます」). Reinforce that 「に」 is for existence verbs, 「で」 for action verbs.

Cultural note: Position words in Japanese require の: 「テーブルの 上うえue」 (literally "table\'s top"). Unlike English prepositions, these are nouns that follow a possessive.

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