ここはどこですか？
koko wa doko desu ka?
To ask "where is this place?" in Japanese, use ここはどこですか？ (koko wa doko desu ka?)
This phrase is used to ask for your current location when you are lost or unfamiliar with your surroundings.
What does it mean word for word?
The word どこ means "where".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase ここはどこですか？ is a polite and standard way to ask the question to strangers. For casual speech with friends or when speaking to oneself, the particles and desu are often dropped, resulting in ここ、どこ？
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle は marks koko (here) as the topic of the sentence. The phrase どこですか translates to "where is it?"
How do you pronounce it?
koko wa doko desu ka?
Did you know?
- The word どこ is used in the phrase どこまでも, which translates to 'forever' or 'to the ends of the earth' by literally meaning 'wherever it may be'.
- While ここはどこですか？ is grammatically correct, if you are in a very polite setting, such as a high-end hotel, you might hear the more formal こちらはどちらでしょうか？
- In Japanese, the word ここ for 'here' is part of a spatial system called kosoado that groups words by their distance from the speaker and listener.
Examples in context
- ここはどこですか？Koko wa doko desu ka?Where is this place?
- すみません、ここはどこですか？Sumimasen, koko wa doko desu ka?Excuse me, where is this place?
- 地図を見ましたが、ここはどこですか？Chizu o mimashita ga, koko wa doko desu ka?I looked at the map, but where is this place?
Example conversation
Hiroto and Misaki are walking in a strange neighborhood.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲、ここはどこですか？Misaki, koko wa doko desu ka?Misaki, where is this place?
- 美咲 Misaki私もわかりません。迷ったみたいです。Watashi mo wakarimasen. Mayotta mitai desu.I don't know either. I think we are lost.
- 大翔 Hiroto誰かに聞いてみましょう。Dareka ni kiite mimashou.Let's try asking someone.
- 美咲 Misakiそうしましょう、大翔さん。Sou shimashou, Hiroto-san.Let's do that, Hiroto.
