ここ/そこ/あそこ

Here/there/over There

Level 1Sounds Like koko/soko/asoko

ここ: Here (near speaker)
そこ: There (near listener)
あそこ: Over there (far from both)
どこ: Where (question word)

How It Works

The ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ series (often called the Ko-So-A-Do series) is used to point out locations. They are demonstrative pronouns that stand alone as nouns and are usually followed by particles like は, に, or で.

  • ここ: Refers to the area the speaker is currently in or a spot very close to them.
  • そこ: Refers to the area near the listener. In conversation, it is used for a place that only one of you is familiar with.
  • あそこ: Refers to a location distant from both people. In conversation, it is used for a place that both the speaker and listener know well. Note the irregular form; it is not あこ.
  • どこ: The question word used to ask 'where'.

In casual speech, you may also hear the directional versions: こっち, そっち, あっち, and どっち. In formal situations, these are replaced by the polite こちら、そちら、あちら、どちら series.

Examples (5)

  1. ここは私の学校です。

    Here is my school.

    Word by Word: Here (topic) my school is.

    Uses ここ because the speaker is currently at the school or pointing to the immediate area.

  2. そこに座ってください。

    Please sit there.

    Word by Word: There (at) sit please.

    Uses そこ because the seat is near the person being spoken to.

  3. あそこに交番があります。

    There is a police box over there.

    Word by Word: Over there (at) police box (subject) exists.

    Uses あそこ because the police box is far away from both the speaker and the listener.

  4. トイレはどこですか。

    Where is the toilet?

    Word by Word: Toilet (topic) where is?

    Uses どこ, the question word of this series, to ask for a location.

  5. ここのパンはおいしいです。

    The bread here is delicious.

    Word by Word: This place's bread (topic) delicious is.

    Shows how these words function as nouns by using the possessive particle の.

Common Mistakes

  • Using あこ instead of あそこ.

    あこは公園です。
    あそこは公園です。

    While the pattern usually follows the こ・そ・あ system, the word for 'over there' is irregularly あそこ, not あこ.

  • Using これ (this thing) to mean ここ (this place).

    これは私の家です。
    ここは私の家です。

    While これ can sometimes work if you are pointing at a map, ここ is the correct word when referring to the physical location you are standing in.

  • Using そこ for distant locations.

    （遠くを見て）そこに山があります。
    （遠くを見て）あそこに山があります。

    English speakers often use 'there' for anything not 'here'. In Japanese, if the location is far from both people, you must use あそこ. Using そこ implies the place is near the listener.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ここ/そこ/あそこLevel 1Here/there/over There

Learn This First

To understand 'koko', 'soko', and 'asoko', you should first be familiar with the basic 'ko-so-a-do' demonstrative system used in 'kore', 'sore', and 'are'. These words follow the same logic but specifically refer to locations rather than objects.

Words in This Pattern