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に (location)

in, at, on (where something is)

Place + に + あります / います / 住む

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With あります and います, に marks where something is: 部屋に猫がいます, "there's a cat in the room". It's also used with verbs of staying somewhere: 東京に住んでいます, "I live in Tokyo".

The classic mix-up is に versus で. Both come out as "at" or "in" in English, but they answer different questions:

  • に: where something is
  • で: where something happens

公園に子どもがいます: there are children in the park. 公園で子どもが遊んでいます: children are playing in the park.

A handy test: if the verb is あります, います or 住む, it's に.

Examples

  • 部屋へやに猫ねこがいます。

    There's a cat in the room.

  • 机つくえの上うえに辞書じしょがあります。

    There's a dictionary on the desk.

  • 姉あねは大阪おおさかに住すんでいます。

    My older sister lives in Osaka.

  • かばんの中なかにかさがあります。

    There's an umbrella in my bag.

  • 駅えきの近ちかくにスーパーがあります。

    There's a supermarket near the station.

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