{"id":62662,"date":"2019-06-14T14:27:34","date_gmt":"2019-06-14T05:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/positioning-words-japanese-how-to-say-left-right-japanese-position\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T18:06:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T09:06:25","slug":"positioning-words-japanese-how-to-say-left-right-japanese-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/ja\/positioning-words-japanese-how-to-say-left-right-japanese-position\/","title":{"rendered":"Directions in Japanese – How to say Up, Down, Left and Right in Japanese?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you know how to express positions in Japanese through directions? In other words, how do you say up, down, left and right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click Here to join our 30 day challenge to learn Hiragana <\/a><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Today, you will learn 10 Japanese positioning words that describe where something is.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
 <\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contents:<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Above, below, left and right<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
inside, outside, in front of and behind<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Beside, nearby<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
 <\/div>\n\n\n\n
 <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Level 1: Above, Below, Left, Right<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Directions
Directions in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To describe the positions in Japanese for something or someone, you can use these 2 sentence patterns:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. \uff5e(noun)\u306f\uff5e(noun)\u306e\uff5e(position)\u306b\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\/\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(~ wa ~ no ~ ni arimasu\/imasu) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e0a: Above\/on<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Above
Above in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u304b\u3070\u3093<\/span>\u306f\u3044\u3059<\/span>\u306e\u4e0a<\/span>\u306b\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/p>\n\n\n\n

kabanwa isuno ueni arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bag is on the chair<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e0b: Below\/under<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Below\/Under
Below\/Under in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u72ac<\/span>\u306f\u6728<\/span>(\u304d)\u306e\u4e0b<\/span>\u306b\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ikuwa kino shitani arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dog is under the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \uff5e(noun)\u306e\uff5e(position)\u306b\uff5e(noun)\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\/\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(~ no ~ ni ~ ga arimasu\/imasu)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5de6: Left <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Left
Left in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u30da\u30f3<\/span>\u306e\u5de6<\/span>\u306b\u643a\u5e2f(\u3051\u3044\u305f\u3044)<\/span>\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Penno hidarini keitaiga arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a phone on the left side of the pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u53f3: Right<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Right
Right in Japanese <\/em>
(Note: This perspective is referring to the student when they\u2019re facing a listener in front of them)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u79c1(\u308f\u305f\u3057)<\/span>\u306e\u53f3<\/span>\u306b\u5148\u751f(\u305b\u3093\u305b\u3044)<\/span>\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watashino migini senseiga imasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a teacher on my right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Level 2: inside, outside, behind, and in front of<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Inside,
Inside, Outside, Front and Back in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vocabulary list<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside\/in: \u4e2d (\u306a\u304b naka )<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside: \u5916 (\u305d\u3068 soto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In front: \u524d (\u307e\u3048 mae)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind: \u5f8c\u308d (\u3046\u3057\u308d ushiro)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also use the 2 sentence patterns above to form a sentence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e2d: Inside<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Inside
Inside in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u308a\u3093\u3054\u306f\u30d0\u30b9\u30b1\u30c3\u30c8\u306e\u4e2d\u306b\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ringowa basukettono nakani arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apples are in the basket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5916: Outside<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"positions<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u5bb6(\u3044\u3048)\u306e\u5916\u306b\u81ea\u8ee2\u8eca(\u3058\u3067\u3093\u3057\u3083)\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ieno sotoni jidenshaga arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a bike outside my house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u524d: In front<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
In Front in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u30c6\u30ec\u30d3\u306e\u524d\u306b\u30dc\u30fc\u30eb\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terebino maeni bouruga arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a ball in front of the TV\uff0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5f8c\u308d: Behin<\/span><\/strong>d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u5b50\u4f9b(\u3053\u3069\u3082)\u306e\u5f8c\u308d(\u3046\u3057\u308d)\u306b\u306d\u3053\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kodomono ushironi nekoga imasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a cat behind the kid\uff0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Level 3: Beside, Nearby<\/h3>\n

The 3rd level of Japanese Position words are\u96a3(\u3068\u306a\u308a tonari)  \u8fd1\u304f(\u3061\u304b\u304f chikaku)<\/p>\n

\u96a3 means “beside something” and \u8fd1\u304fmeans “nearby something”<\/p>\n

Let’s look at some example sentences.<\/p>\n

\u96a3(\u3068\u306a\u308a): Beside something<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Beside
Beside in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u75c5\u9662\u306e\u96a3\u306b\u30b3\u30f3\u30d3\u30cb\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Byouinno tonarini connbiniga arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a convenience store beside the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u8fd1\u304f: Nearby something<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nearby
Nearby in Japanese<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u3053\u306e\u8fd1\u304f\u306b\u9280\u884c\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Konochikakuni ginkouga arimasu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a bank nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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List of Vocabulary<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Japanese <\/strong><\/td>\nPronunciation <\/strong><\/td>\nMeaning<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u4e0a<\/td>\nUe<\/td>\nAbove\/ on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u4e0b<\/td>\nShita<\/td>\nBelow\/ under<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u5de6<\/td>\nHidari<\/td>\nLeft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u53f3<\/td>\nMigi<\/td>\nRight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u4e2d<\/td>\nNaka<\/td>\nInside<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u5916<\/td>\nSoto<\/td>\nOutside<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u524d<\/td>\nMae<\/td>\nIn Front of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u5f8c\u308d<\/td>\nUshiro<\/td>\nBehind<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u96a3<\/td>\nTonari<\/td>\nBeside<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u8fd1\u304f<\/td>\nChikaku<\/td>\nNearby<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now you know the 10 common Japanese positioning words, do you know how to ask for directions in Japanese?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below. Courses can be found here.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t