Questions with 哪里

哪儿 (nǎr) and 哪里 (nǎlǐ) both mean where. They mean the same thing.

Put them where the place would go, usually after 在 (zài).

哪儿 / 哪里 let you ask where someone or something is — essential for finding people, places, and things.

Structure

Subject + 在 + 哪儿 / 哪里？

你在家。 (Nǐ zài jiā.) You are at home. → 你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?) Where are you? 朋友在北京。 (Péngyou zài Běijīng.) Friend is in Beijing. → 朋友在哪里？ (Péngyou zài nǎlǐ?) Where is your friend? 他在法国。 (Tā zài Fǎguó.) He is in France. → 他在哪儿？ (Tā zài nǎr?) Where is he? 她在中国。 (Tā zài Zhōngguó.) She is in China. → 她在哪里？ (Tā zài nǎlǐ?) Where is she? 你在上海。 (Nǐ zài Shànghǎi.) You are in Shanghai. → 你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?) Where are you?

Examples

你在哪儿？ Nǐ zài nǎr?

Breakdown: 你 (you) · 在 (are at) · 哪儿 (where)

→ Where are you?

你的公司在哪里？ Nǐ de gōngsī zài nǎlǐ?

Breakdown: 你的 (your) · 公司 (company) · 在 (is at) · 哪里 (where)

→ Where is your company?

医院在哪儿？ Yīyuàn zài nǎr?

Breakdown: 医院 (hospital) · 在 (is at) · 哪儿 (where)

→ Where is the hospital?

商店在哪里？ Shāngdiàn zài nǎlǐ?

Breakdown: 商店 (store) · 在 (is at) · 哪里 (where)

→ Where is the store?

学校在哪儿？ Xuéxiào zài nǎr?

Breakdown: 学校 (school) · 在 (is at) · 哪儿 (where)

→ Where is the school?

那是学校，学校在哪里？ Nà shì xuéxiào, xuéxiào zài nǎlǐ?

Breakdown: 那 (that) · 是 (is) · 学校 (school) · 学校在哪里 (where is the school)

→ That is a school — where is the school?

那 vs 哪

那 (nà) and 哪 (nǎ) look almost identical and differ by only one stroke — but they are not interchangeable.

- 那 (nà, 4th tone) means that — it points at something. It is not a question word. - 哪 (nǎ, 3rd tone) means which — it is a question word, and it is the 哪 inside 哪儿 / 哪里.

那 never asks a question on its own. If you mean where, you need 哪儿 or 哪里, not 那儿 or 那里 (which mean there).

✓ 那是学校。 (Nà shì xuéxiào.) That is a school. ✓ 学校在哪里？ (Xuéxiào zài nǎlǐ?) Where is the school? ✗ 学校在那里？ as a question — 那里 means there, not where.

Common Mistakes

Moving 哪儿 to the front

- Incorrect: 哪儿你在？ (Nǎr nǐ zài?) - Correct: 你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?) — Where are you?

Reversing 在 and 哪儿

- Incorrect: 你哪儿在？ (Nǐ nǎr zài?) - Correct: 你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?) — Where are you?

Confusing 那 with 哪

- Incorrect: 你在那儿？ meant as a question (Nǐ zài nàr?) - Correct: 你在哪儿？ (Nǐ zài nǎr?) — Where are you? - 那 points at something (that); only 哪 asks a question (which/where).

What Can You Say Now?

You can now ask where a person, place, or thing is — 你在哪儿？ (Where are you?), 医院在哪儿？ (Where is the hospital?) — using either 哪儿 or 哪里 interchangeably after 在. Try texting a friend 你在哪儿？ the next time you are trying to meet up.

Quick Summary

Ask 在哪儿？ or 在哪里？ — both are correct.