どこ and どちら: where or which?

The idea

Use どこですか for “where is it?” In a polite request for a location or direction, どちらですか is also natural. When choosing between two options, use どちら; before a noun use どちらの, as in どちらの電車.

Examples

• トイレはどこですか。Where is the restroom?
• すみません、出口でぐちはどちらですか。Excuse me, which way is the exit?
• どちらの電車でんしゃに乗のりますか。Which train will you take?
• コーヒーとお茶ちゃとどちらが好すきですか。Which do you prefer, coffee or tea?
• どこで昼ひるご飯はんを食たべますか。Where will you eat lunch?
• 学校がっこうはどこですか。Where is the school?

Watch out

Do not assume どちら always means “which”: it can mean “where” politely. どこ does not normally replace it in a choice between two things.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct form: Which train will you take? ＿＿の電車でんしゃに乗のりますか。（どこ／どちら）

   Show answer or example answer

   どちら

   どちらの電車 asks which train; どちら directly precedes の.

2. Choose the correct form: Which do you prefer, coffee or tea? コーヒーとお茶ちゃと＿＿が好すきですか。（どこ／どちら）

   Show answer or example answer

   どちら

   The question offers coffee and tea as alternatives, so use どちら.

3. Choose the correct form: Where is the restroom? トイレは＿＿ですか。（どこ／どちら）

   Show answer or example answer

   どこ / どちら

   Both どこ and the more polite どちら can ask where the restroom is.

Use it today

Ask where a nearby exit is, then ask which of two drinks someone prefers.