exPreSSiNG loCatioN aNd diStaNCe
47.2
To ask where an object is with respect to a reference point, say:
(object) 在 zài reference point 的 de 哪边/哪邊 nǎbiān？
咖啡馆在车站的哪边？
咖啡館在車站的哪邊？
Kāfēiguǎn zài chēzhàn de nǎbiān?
The coffee shop is on which side of the train station? (Which side of the train
station is the coffee shop on?)
To ask if an object is at one or the other of two locations, use a 还是/還是 háishi question
and ask:
(object) 在 zài reference point 的 de location 1 还是/還是 háishi 在 zài reference point
的 de location 2?
咖啡馆在车站的里边还是在车站的外边呢？
咖啡館在車站的裡邊還是在車站的外邊呢？
Kāfēiguǎn zài chēzhàn de lǐbiān háishi zài chēzhàn de wàibiān ne?
Is the coffee shop inside the station or outside the station?
C28.3
47.2 Indicating that an object exists or does not exist at a location
To indicate that an object exists at a location, use the following pattern. Note that 在 zài is
optional at the beginning of the sentence.
(在 zài) location 有 yǒu object
At location there is object (there are objects).
(在)桌子上有书。
(在)桌子上有書。
(Zài) zhuōzi shàng yǒu shū.
On the table there is a book (there are books).
(在)房子后边有猫。
(在)房子後邊有貓。
(Zài) fángzi hòubiān yǒu māo.
Behind the house there is a cat (there are cats).
有 yǒu object 在 zài location
There is object (there are objects) at location.
有两本书在桌子上。
有兩本書在桌子上。
Yǒu liǎng běn shū zài zhuōzi shàng.
There are two books on the table.
有一只猫在房子的后边。
有一只貓在房子的後邊。
Yǒu yīzhī māo zài fángzi de hòubiān.
There is a cat behind the house.
