HSK 1Lesson 15
This lesson uses books, chairs, tables, rooms, and sides to practice saying where things are.
You will learn to ask where people and things are and describe positions in or around a room.
Ask where something is and describe position in a room or area.
Part 1 · 22 new words
Contains 4 words
at; in; on
where; especially common in northern speech
where
inside
Contains 4 words
here; especially common in northern speech
here
Contains 8 words
side; edge
this side; here
Contains 2 words
outside
room
Contains 2 words
chair
table
Contains 2 words
up; on; above
down; under; below
Part 2 · 12 phrases
你在哪儿？
Where are you?
你在哪里？
Where are you?
他在哪儿？
Where is he?
我在这儿。
I'm here.
我在这里。
I'm here.
他在那里。
He's there.
老师在哪里？
Where is the teacher?
他在那里吗？
Is he there?
Part 3 · 4 conversations
A student cannot see her book, and a classmate points to the table.
美美Meimei
我的书在哪儿？
Where is my book?
方方Fangfang
你的书在桌子上边。
Your book is on the table.
美美Meimei
在这儿吗？
Part 4 · 2 points
Location with 在
Use 在zài between the person or thing and its location.
Say where something is
Places a person or thing at a location.
书在这儿shū zài zhèr means the book is located here.
there; especially common in northern speech
there
that side; over there
outside
front; in front
back; behind
above; on top
below; underneath
不，他在这里。
No, he's here.
书在桌子上
The book is on the table.
椅子在桌子下
The chair is under the table.
房间里有桌子。
There is a table in the room.
Is it here?
方方Fangfang
在，在这儿。
Yes, it is here.
Students check where the chair and book are in the room.
美美Meimei
椅子在哪儿？
Where is the chair?
方方Fangfang
椅子在桌子下边。
The chair is under the table.
美美Meimei
椅子在这边吗？
Is the chair on this side?
方方Fangfang
不，在那边。
No, it is on that side.
A student looks for Teacher Wang and confirms whether she is outside or inside the room.
美美Meimei
老师在哪里？
Where is the teacher?
方方Fangfang
老师不在外边，在房间里。
The teacher is not outside; she is in the room.
美美Meimei
她在房间前边吗？
Is she at the front of the room?
方方Fangfang
不，她在房间后边。
No, she is at the back of the room.
Two classmates narrow the location of one table inside a room.
美美Meimei
桌子在哪里？
Where is the table?
方方Fangfang
桌子在房间里。
The table is in the room.
美美Meimei
在椅子前边吗？
Is it in front of the chair?
方方Fangfang
不，在椅子后边。
No, it is behind the chair.
In sentences
Thing plus place
书在这儿。
The book is here.
Put 在zài between the thing and the place.
Person plus place
老师在那里。
The teacher is there.
The same pattern locates a person.
老师在前边。
The teacher is in front.
桌子在外边。
The table is outside.
Use 在zài between the person or thing and its location. Ask with 在哪儿zài nǎr or 在哪里zài nǎlǐ, then answer with 在zài plus a place word such as 这儿zhèr, 那里nàlǐ, 前边qiánbian, or 外边wàibian.
Directional words
Put a position word after a reference place or object: 桌子上zhuōzi shàng, 桌子下边zhuōzi xiàbian, or 房间里fángjiān lǐ. Longer words such as 前边qiánbian and 外边wàibian can also be the complete location after 在zài.
Use short on or under
Adds short 上shàng or 下xià after a reference object.
桌子上zhuōzi shàng means ‘on the table.’ The reference object comes first and the short position word follows it.
Use a longer position word
Adds a longer position word after a reference place or object.
桌子下边zhuōzi xiàbian means ‘under the table.’ Like 桌子下zhuōzi xià, it works as one location phrase after 在zài.
Use the position as the whole location
Uses a longer position word alone when the reference point is clear.
在前边zài qiánbian means ‘in front.’ No base place is needed when the shared scene makes the reference point clear.
In sentences
Short on form
书在桌子上。
The book is on the table.
桌子上zhuōzi shàng uses the short position word 上shàng after the reference object.
Short under form
椅子在桌子下。
The chair is under the table.
桌子下zhuōzi xià uses the short position word 下xià after the reference object.
Inside a room
桌子在房间里。
The table is in the room.
房间里fángjiān lǐ is the place phrase: room plus inside.
Under the table
椅子在桌子下边。
The chair is under the table.
桌子下边zhuōzi xiàbian is the place phrase: table plus underneath.
After a reference object, short 上shàng and 下xià mean ‘on’ and ‘under’: 桌子上zhuōzi shàng and 桌子下zhuōzi xià. The longer 上边shàngbian and 下边xiàbian can follow the same reference object: 桌子上边zhuōzi shàngbian and 桌子下边zhuōzi xiàbian. Both pairs locate something relative to the table; the longer form makes the position word more explicit.
Other position words follow the same base-place order, as in 房间里fángjiān lǐ, ‘inside the room,’ and 桌子前边zhuōzi qiánbian, ‘in front of the table.’ A longer position word can also stand as the whole location when the reference point is already clear: 老师在前边lǎoshī zài qiánbian
椅子在桌子下边。
The chair is under the table.
桌子base place下边position word
Why it matters · 桌子下边zhuōzi xiàbian is the full location after 在zài.
