Lesson 4：问地方 — Asking Where
Chinese + Pinyin + English — Learn how to ask and give locations
Asking about places is an essential skill in Chinese. You will often need to ask where something is or how to get somewhere, whether you are traveling, studying, or meeting friends. In this lesson, you will learn key vocabulary, grammar patterns, example sentences, and conversations to confidently ask and answer questions about locations in Chinese.
1. Vocabulary | 词汇
Here are some common words and phrases for asking about places:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 哪儿 / 哪里 | nǎr / nǎlǐ | Where |
| 在 | zài | At / In / On |
| 去 | qù | Go / To go |
| 这里 | zhè lǐ | Here |
| 那里 | nà lǐ | There |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | School |
| 超市 | chāoshì | Supermarket |
| 医院 | yīyuàn | Hospital |
| 图书馆 | túshūguǎn | Library |
| 银行 | yínháng | Bank |
| 火车站 | huǒchē zhàn | Train station |
| 地铁站 | dìtiě zhàn | Subway station |
2. Grammar | 语法
Chinese uses several common sentence patterns to ask about and describe locations:
Subject + 在 + Place— Indicates location: 我在学校 (Wǒ zài xuéxiào) = I am at school去 + Place— Indicates going somewhere: 我去医院 (Wǒ qù yīyuàn) = I am going to the hospital- Common questions for asking directions:
请问... 在哪里？ / 去... 怎么走？
Example: 请问，图书馆在哪里？
Qǐngwèn, túshūguǎn zài nǎlǐ? — Excuse me, where is the library?
3. Example Sentences | 例句
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 学校在哪儿？ | Xuéxiào zài nǎr? | Where is the school? |
| 超市在前面。 | Chāoshì zài qiánmiàn. | The supermarket is in front. |
| 请问，地铁站怎么走？ | Qǐngwèn, dìtiě zhàn zěnme zǒu? | Excuse me, how do I get to the subway station? |
| 这里离学校很近。 | Zhèlǐ lí xuéxiào hěn jìn. | It is very close to the school. |
| 银行在左边吗？ | Yínháng zài zuǒbiān ma? | Is the bank on the left side? |
| 图书馆在图书店旁边。 | Túshūguǎn zài túshūdiàn pángbiān. | The library is next to the bookstore. |
4. Conversation | 对话
A: 请问，学校在哪儿？
Qǐngwèn, xuéxiào zài nǎr?
Excuse me, where is the school?
B: 学校在前面，走三分钟就到了。
Xuéxiào zài qiánmiàn, zǒu sān fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
The school is in front. It takes three minutes to walk there.
A: 超市离这里远吗？
Chāoshì lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma?
Is the supermarket far from here?
B: 不远，往左拐就看见了。
Bù yuǎn, wǎng zuǒ guǎi jiù kànjiàn le.
Not far, turn left and you will see it.
A: 地铁站怎么走？
Dìtiě zhàn zěnme zǒu?
How do I get to the subway station?
B: 直走，然后右转就到了。
Zhí zǒu, ránhòu yòu zhuǎn jiù dào le.
Go straight, then turn right and you will reach it.
5. Tips for Learning | 学习建议
- Practice these sentences out loud to improve fluency.
- Use vocabulary words to ask about different locations in your city.
- Try writing short dialogues about asking directions and locations.
- Listen to native speakers and repeat their sentences to improve pronunciation.
- Create flashcards for vocabulary like places, directions, and question words.
6. Summary | 总结
In this lesson, you learned how to ask and give directions in Chinese using common words, grammar structures, and example sentences. You also practiced full conversations to make asking for locations more natural. By continuing to practice, you can confidently ask where places are and understand responses in everyday life.