どこかに
dokoka ni
The English phrase 'somewhere' is translated into Japanese as どこかに (dokoka ni). Wiktionary also lists どこかで (dokoka de).
Meaning: in some place (adv)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| どこかに | dokoka ni |
| どこかで | dokoka de |
In casual, everyday conversation, you may encounter the variation どっか, which is a more informal way of saying どこか. Additionally, the expression どこかしら can be used to add a sense of uncertainty or curiosity to the phrase.
What does it mean word for word?
The word どこかに is composed of どこ (where), the indefinite particle か and the location particle に.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on the type of verb being used. Use どこかに when the verb indicates existence (such as いる or ある) or movement toward a destination. Use どこかで when the verb describes an action or an event occurring at a location (such as 飲む or 泣く).
How do you pronounce it?
dokoka ni
Did you know?
- The particle か acts as a mathematical 'or' in Japanese, which is why 'where' plus 'or' becomes 'somewhere'.
- When using どこか, the particle か acts as an 'indefiniteness' marker that can turn many question words into 'some-' words, such as turning 'who' into 'someone'.
- When using どこかで to mean 'somewhere', it can sometimes imply a sense of 'at some unknown point in time' as well as a location in poetic contexts.
Examples in context
- どこかで一杯どう？Would you like to go out to have a drink somewhere?This sentence is useful for suggesting an action like drinking どこかで.Tatoeba #201038 by small_snow, translation #38243 by CK
- 彼は公園のどこかにいる。He's somewhere in the park.This sentence shows the use of どこかに to indicate existence.Tatoeba #107449 by bunbuku, translation #1471357 by CK
- どこかで子供が泣いている。A child is crying somewhere.This sentence demonstrates how to use どこかで for an action like crying.Tatoeba #201035 by small_snow, translation #528521 by wma
- どっか軽食を食べに行こうよ。Let's go somewhere and have a light snack.
- この周辺にどこかしら美味しいレストランはありますか？I wonder if there are any delicious restaurants somewhere around here?
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are looking for a missing notebook in the living room.
- 美咲 Misakiノートをどこかに置いたはずなんだけど。nooto o dokoka ni oita hazu nan dakedo.I should have put my notebook somewhere.
- 蓮 Ren机の上にはなかった？tsukue no ue ni wa nakatta?Was it not on the desk?
- 美咲 Misakiあ、どこかに落としたかもしれない。a, dokoka ni otoshita kamoshirenai.Ah, I might have dropped it somewhere.
- 蓮 Ren一緒に探そう。issho ni sagasou.Let's look for it together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “somewhere” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
