What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of watashi ga (I), sunde iru (am living) and tokoro (place).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When you want to say "I live in [place]" as a full sentence, you can use two different levels of politeness. The phrase Watashi wa __ ni sunde imasu. is the formal way to say "I live in __.", while Watashi wa __ ni sunde iru. is the informal way to say "I live in __.". Additionally, replacing the particle ga with no in watashi no sunde iru tokoro is a common way to make the relative clause sound more natural and slightly more polite in both spoken and written Japanese.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the continuous form sunde iru to indicate the ongoing state of living in a place, which differs from the simple verb sumu that implies the act of moving in. The word tokoro acts as a noun that follows the relative clause watashi ga sunde iru to create the full meaning of "the place where I live".
How do you pronounce it?
Watashi ga sunde iru tokoro
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, when being asked where you live, it is often more polite to name your general neighborhood or ward rather than your specific street address to avoid being too direct.
- The word sumu is used differently than 'live' in English because it focuses on residency. To talk about 'living' in the sense of being alive, Japanese uses the verb ikiru instead.
- While tokoro means 'place', it is also used to describe a specific moment in time. Depending on the context, the phrase could refer to the exact moment someone is living through a situation.
Examples in context
- Watashi wa Tokyo ni sunde imasu. (私は東京に住んでいます。)I live in Tokyo.
- Watashi wa Osaka ni sunde imasu. (私は大阪に住んでいます。)I live in Osaka.
- Watashi wa Nagoya ni sunde imasu. (私は名古屋に住んでいます。)I live in Nagoya.
- Watashi wa Hokkaido ni sunde imasu. (私は北海道に住んでいます。)I live in Hokkaido.
- 私が住んでいるところは静かです。Watashi ga sunde iru tokoro wa shizuka desu.Where I live is quiet.
- 私が住んでいるところは駅から近いです。Watashi ga sunde iru tokoro wa eki kara chikai desu.Where I live is close to the station.
Example conversation
Hiroto and Himari are talking about their hometowns.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵さんはどこに住んでいますか？Himari-san wa doko ni sunde imasu ka?Where do you live, Himari?
- 陽葵 Himari横浜です。大翔さんは？Yokohama desu. Hiroto-san wa?In Yokohama. How about you, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hiroto私が住んでいるところは、千葉です。Watashi ga sunde iru tokoro wa, Chiba desu.Where I live is Chiba.
- 陽葵 Himari千葉はいいところですよね。Chiba wa ii tokoro desu yo ne.Chiba is a nice place, isn't it?
