First step to learning Japanese

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.

	uchi	house, home
	kaisha	company, office
	eki	train station
	toire	toilet, bathroom

Practice 2

Let's make sentences and speak it.

	Sore wa nan desu ka?
	What is that?
	Kore wa nan desu ka?
	What is this?
	Uchi wa doko desu ka?
	Where do you live? (Where is your house?)
	Kaisha wa doko desu ka?
	Where is your office?
	Eki wa doko desu ka?
	Where is the train station?
	Toire wa doko desu ka?
	Where is the bathroom?