I can politely ask where the restroom, a store, or the hospital is, understand the answer “on the left”, “on the right”, “ahead”, and say “I don't know where it is”.
Where is it? 请问，…在哪儿？
Where is it? 请问，…在哪儿？
What for: ask politely where a place is, and understand the answer.
Question: 请问，+ place + 在哪儿？ 呢 at the end makes it softer: …在哪儿呢？(…zài nǎr ne?) The answer takes the place of 哪儿: 在那儿 (zài nàr), 在前边 (zài qiánbian).
左边 and 右边 work like 前边: the landmark first, then the side — 超市左边 (chāoshì zuǒbian) “to the left of the supermarket”. English puts “to the left of” first; Chinese puts the side after.
A question inside a sentence keeps the order of the direct question, with no 吗: 我不知道他在哪儿。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā zài nǎr.) (I don't know where he is.) To ask “do you know…”, put 吗 at the end: 你知道…在哪儿吗？(Nǐ zhīdào… zài nǎr ma?)
找 (zhǎo) is to look for; 看见 (kànjiàn) to see; 知道 (zhīdào) to know. 走 (zǒu) is to walk; 请走这边 (qǐng zǒu zhèbian) is “this way, please”.
那儿 (nàr) “there” and 哪儿 (nǎr) “where” differ only in tone: listen for it.
Common mistakes:
• ×洗手间哪儿在？(Xǐshǒujiān nǎr zài?) → 洗手间在哪儿？(Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr?) (哪儿 after 在)
• ×我不知道在哪儿他 (Wǒ bù zhīdào zài nǎr tā.) → 我不知道他在哪儿。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā zài nǎr.) (the same order as in the question)
• ×在左边超市 (Zài zuǒbian chāoshì.) → 在超市左边。(Zài chāoshì zuǒbian.) (“to the left of the supermarket”)
请问，……在哪儿？
The answer goes in the place of 哪儿; 呢 at the end makes the question softer.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 请问，商店在哪儿？(Qǐngwèn, shāngdiàn zài nǎr?) | 在学校左边。(Zài xuéxiào zuǒbian.) |
| 请问，书店在哪儿呢？(Qǐngwèn, shūdiàn zài nǎr ne?) | 在那儿。(Zài nàr.) |
| 你知道公司在哪儿吗？(Nǐ zhīdào gōngsī zài nǎr ma?) | 我知道，在前边。(Wǒ zhīdào, zài qiánbian.) |
Lesson notes
Where is it? 请问，…在哪儿？
What for: ask politely where a place is, and understand the answer.
Question: 请问，+ place + 在哪儿？ 呢 at the end makes it softer: …在哪儿呢？(…zài nǎr ne?) The answer takes the place of 哪儿: 在那儿 (zài nàr), 在前边 (zài qiánbian).
左边 and 右边 work like 前边: the landmark first, then the side — 超市左边 (chāoshì zuǒbian) “to the left of the supermarket”. English puts “to the left of” first; Chinese puts the side after.
A question inside a sentence keeps the order of the direct question, with no 吗: 我不知道他在哪儿。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā zài nǎr.) (I don't know where he is.) To ask “do you know…”, put 吗 at the end: 你知道…在哪儿吗？(Nǐ zhīdào… zài nǎr ma?)
找 (zhǎo) is to look for; 看见 (kànjiàn) to see; 知道 (zhīdào) to know. 走 (zǒu) is to walk; 请走这边 (qǐng zǒu zhèbian) is “this way, please”.
那儿 (nàr) “there” and 哪儿 (nǎr) “where” differ only in tone: listen for it.
Common mistakes:
• ×洗手间哪儿在？(Xǐshǒujiān nǎr zài?) → 洗手间在哪儿？(Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr?) (哪儿 after 在)
• ×我不知道在哪儿他 (Wǒ bù zhīdào zài nǎr tā.) → 我不知道他在哪儿。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā zài nǎr.) (the same order as in the question)
• ×在左边超市 (Zài zuǒbian chāoshì.) → 在超市左边。(Zài chāoshì zuǒbian.) (“to the left of the supermarket”)