Locating an object: の 上・下・中
A の 上／下／中 に B が あります
Reference の position（上, 下, 中, 前…）に あります／います. あいだ: A と B の あいだ.
In short
To say where something is, you say “the top of A”, “the space under A” with の, then に for the place. “つくえの 上に 本が あります” = there's a book on the desk.
- つくえの 上に 本が あります。tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasuThere's a book on the desk.
- 木の 下に ねこが います。ki no shita ni neko ga imasuThere's a cat under the tree.
- かばんの 中に 水が あります。kaban no naka ni mizu ga arimasuThere's water in the bag.
The basics
To place one thing in relation to another, you use a position noun linked with の: つくえの 上 (the top of the desk → on the desk). Then に and あります／います, as for “there is”.
- つくえの 上に 本が あります。tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasuThere's a book on the desk.
- ねこは いすの 下に います。neko wa isu no shita ni imasuThe cat is under the chair.
Position words
They're all built the same way: reference の position に.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上（うえ） | on, above |
| 下（した） | under, below |
| 中（なか） | in, inside |
| 外（そと） | outside |
| 前（まえ） | in front of |
| 後ろ（うしろ） | behind |
| 右（みぎ）・左（ひだり） | on the right, on the left |
| となり・よこ | next to |
| あいだ | between (A と B の あいだ) |
Between two things
あいだ (between) needs two reference points linked by と: ぎんこうと ゆうびんきょくの あいだ (between the bank and the post office).
- 駅は ぎんこうと 店の あいだに あります。eki wa ginkō to mise no aida ni arimasuThe station is between the bank and the shop.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting の: “つくえ 上に” is wrong, it's つくえの 上に.
- Using で: for where a thing is, it's に.
- Copying the English order “on the desk”: in Japanese, the reference point comes first.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Mita Line (Positions and sizes) of the Tokyo subway.