Simplified Chinese - Basic Location

___在哪儿

___ zài nǎr?

Where is ___?

Meaning: Where is ___?

When to use: Use to ask one person's or one thing's location, e.g. “你的手机在哪儿？ (Nǐ de shǒujī zài nǎr?)”

___在哪儿

___ zài nǎr?

Where are ___?

Meaning: Where are ___?

When to use: Ask for the location of more than one person or thing; Chinese doesn’t always mark plural, context shows it, e.g. “他们在哪儿？ (Tāmen zài nǎr?)”

Tip: Beginners sometimes expect a different verb for plural; Chinese uses the same form and relies on context.

___在这儿吗？

___ zài zhèr ma?

Is ___ here?

Meaning: Is ___ here?

When to use: Use when you want to check whether someone or something is at the speaker's current place, e.g. “他在这儿吗？ (Tā zài zhèr ma?)”

___在这儿

___ zài zhèr.

___ is here.

Meaning: ___ is here.

When to use: Say someone or something is at the current place, e.g. “小猫在这儿。 (Xiǎo māo zài zhèr.)”

___不在这儿。

___ bú zài zhèr.

___ is not here.

Meaning: ___ is not here.

When to use: Say someone or something is not at the current place, e.g. “他不在这儿。 (Tā bú zài zhèr.)”

在这儿

Zài zhèr.

It's here.

Meaning: It's here.

When to use: Point to a nearby place to show something is close, e.g. “在这儿。 (Zài zhèr.)”

在那儿

Zài nàr.

It's over there.

Meaning: It's over there.

When to use: Point to a place farther away to show location, e.g. “在那儿。 (Zài nàr.)”

在___里

Zài ___ lǐ.

It's in ___.

Meaning: It's in ___.

When to use: Use for something inside a container or room: “在包里。 (Zài bāo lǐ.)” or “在箱子里。 (Zài xiāngzi lǐ.)”

Tip: Don't confuse 在___里 (inside) with 在___上 (on top of); they show different positions.

在___旁边

Zài ___ pángbiān.

It's next to ___.

Meaning: It's next to ___.

When to use: Say something is beside another object or place, e.g. “在学校旁边。 (Zài xuéxiào pángbiān.)”

你在哪儿

Nǐ zài nǎr?

Where are you?

Meaning: Where are you?

When to use: Ask someone (the listener) where they are, e.g. “你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?)” — polite form is “您在哪儿？ (Nín zài nǎr?)”

___在这附近吗？

___ zài zhè fùjìn ma?

Is ___ near here?

Meaning: Is ___ near here?

When to use: Ask whether a place or thing is close by, e.g. “地铁站在这附近吗？ (Dìtiě zhàn zài zhè fùjìn ma?)”

___就在这附近。

___ jiù zài zhè fùjìn.

___ is near here.

Meaning: ___ is near here.

When to use: Say a place is nearby; adding 就 gives a sense of 'right here in the area', e.g. “商店就在这附近。 (Shāngdiàn jiù zài zhè fùjìn.)”

___在___上。

___ zài ___ shàng.

___ is on ___.

Meaning: ___ is on ___.

When to use: Use for something on a surface: “杯子在桌子上。 (Bēizi zài zhuōzi shàng.)” For roads say 在___路上 (zài ___ lù shàng).

Tip: Don't use 在___上 when the item is inside something; '上' means on top/surface.