N5 Lesson 03 · Midnight Noir にほんご / Series 1 · みんなの日本語 第 3 課

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日本語で読む / Show Japanese

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Episode 03: Where Is It?

Mike is in IMC Corporation’s office, undercover. A receptionist asks him to wait.
IMC コーポレーションの オフィス。 マイクは偽の身分で受付に座る。「お待ちください」 と声が降る。

He shows him the office layout.
受付が オフィス の見取り図を指で辿る。

Mike points at a door across the corridor.
マイクは、 廊下の向こうの扉を指す。

He needs to plant a listening device — and excuses himself. He needs the restroom. The receptionist points down the hall.
盗聴器をどこに置くか ── 言い訳をひとつ。「お手洗いを」。 受付は廊下の先を指差した。

Later, on the street, Mike asks a passerby for directions to the station.
夜の街角。 マイクは見知らぬ通行人に、 駅への道を尋ねる。

→ Read the related chapter (Chapter 1: Finding a Lead)
Available in 日本語 / English / 中文 / 繁體中文 / Tiếng Việt

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Key Sentences

1. Here (ここ)

• This place (here) is the office.
• 这里是办公室。 / 這裡是辦公室。
• Đây là văn phòng.

2. There — near you (そこ) — question

• Is that place (where you are) the meeting room?
• 那里是会议室吗? / 那裡是會議室嗎?
• Đó là phòng họp phải không?

3. Over there (あそこ)

• The restroom is over there.
• 洗手间在那里。 / 洗手間在那裡。
• Nhà vệ sinh ở đằng kia.

4. Where? (どこ)

• Where is the station?
• 车站在哪里? / 車站在哪裡?
• Nhà ga ở đâu?

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Vocabulary

日本語	English	简体	繁體	Tiếng Việt
ここ	here	这里	這裡	đây
そこ	there (near you)	那里	那裡	đó
あそこ	over there	那里	那裡	đằng kia
どこ	where	哪里	哪裡	ở đâu
じむしつ	office	办公室	辦公室	văn phòng
かいぎしつ	meeting room	会议室	會議室	phòng họp
トイレ	restroom	洗手间	洗手間	nhà vệ sinh
駅えきeki	station	车站	車站	nhà ga

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Grammar Patterns

Grammar Picture

Need more detail? Open the sections below.

ここ vs これ

ここ・そこ・あそこ = place pronouns (= a location). これ・それ・あれ = thing pronouns (= an object). Both follow the こそあど distance system.

Polite formal version: こちら・そちら・あちら

「こちら・そちら・あちら」 are more formal/polite versions that can also indicate direction or refer to a person politely:

• Standard: ここは じむしつです。
• Polite: こちらは じむしつでございます。

About どこ (where)

「どこ」 asks for a place. Pair with the topic particle 「は」:

• 「駅えきekiは どこですか?」 = Where is the station?
• 「トイレは どこですか?」 = Where is the restroom?

Polite version: 「どちら」.

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Roleplay Practice

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

Scene: A passerby in Tokyo asks Mike for directions. Mike is undercover — he needs to act natural.

Tip: Switch roles. Then practice with real places you know.

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How do you say this in Japanese?

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How to Use This Lesson

For Self-Study (45 minutes)

1. Read Grammar Patterns (5 min)
2. Practice Key Sentences (10 min) — Point at places and say.
3. Learn Vocabulary (5 min)
4. Read Mini Story (5 min)
5. Roleplay (10 min)
6. Review tomorrow

Check Yourself (click to expand)

Q1. How do you say ‘Here is the office’?

• A. ここは じむしつです。
• B. そこは じむしつです。
• C. あそこは じむしつです。

Show answer

✓ A. ここは じむしつです。

「ここ」 = the place where the speaker is.

Q2. How do you ask ‘Where is the station?’?

• A. 駅えきekiは どこですか?
• B. どこは 駅えきekiですか?
• C. 駅えきekiは ここですか?

Show answer

✓ A. 駅えきekiは どこですか?

Pattern: [Place noun]は どこですか? = Where is [place]?

Q3. Choose the correct one — Mike points down the hall and says about the restroom:

• A. トイレは ここです。
• B. トイレは そこです。
• C. トイレは あそこです。

Show answer

✓ C. トイレは あそこです。

「あそこ」 = over there (far from both speakers).

Q4. In the Mini Story, when Mike says 「ここは じむしつです」, where is he?

• A. In the office building, at the office space
• B. At the station
• C. On the street

Show answer

✓ A. In the office building, at the office space

「ここ」 = where he is.

Q5. Write where YOU are right now: 「ここは ____ です。」

No right answer.

Show answer

Sample: ここは うちです (= I’m at home), ここは カフェです, ここは こうえんです.

For Teachers (click to expand)

For Teachers (45-60 minutes in class)

• Warm-up (5 min): Point at places in the classroom: ここ / そこ / あそこ.
• Story reading (10 min): Read Mini Story together.
• Place drill (15 min): In pairs, point at places and practice. Map activity: students mark places.
• Roleplay (15 min): The directions dialog. Switch roles.
• Check Yourself (5-10 min): Individual quiz, group review.

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← Lesson 02 | Midnight Noir Series | Lesson 04 →