Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'over there' depends on the physical or psychological distance from both the speaker and the listener. The most common word is あそこ, but other expressions like 向こう and あちら are used in different contexts.
The speaker refers to a place that is distant from both themselves and the person they are speaking to.
The most common and neutral word for 'over there', used in everyday conversation. It refers to a place away from both speaker and listener.
あそこに猫がいます。
There is a cat over there.
あそこは郵便局です。
Over there is the post office.
A polite or formal version of あそこ. Often used in business settings or when speaking politely. Can also refer to a direction rather than a specific spot.
あちらにおかけください。
Please have a seat over there.
トイレはあちらです。
The restroom is over there.
Means 'the other side' or 'beyond'. It implies 'over there' with a sense of across something, like a street, river, or boundary. More about the area beyond a reference point.
向こうに公園があります。
There's a park over there (on the other side).
向こう岸に渡ろう。
Let's cross to the other side (over there).
The speaker wants to draw attention to a precise spot that is away from both people.
Use あそこに to say 'at/in that place over there' when indicating location.
あそこに立っている人は誰ですか。
Who is that person standing over there?
Use あそこへ to indicate direction 'to over there'.
あそこへ行きましょう。
Let's go over there.
The speaker refers to a place that is far away and possibly out of sight.
Even if the place is not visible, あそこ can be used if both speaker and listener know the location.
昨日あそこで事故があった。
There was an accident over there yesterday.
Polite version for distant places, often used in formal announcements.
あそこ simply points to a location away from both speaker and listener. 向こう implies 'the other side' of something, like a street or river, and often refers to a broader area.
あそこに車が止まっている。
A car is parked over there.
向こうに渡ってください。
Please cross over to the other side.
そこ means 'there' (near the listener), while あそこ means 'over there' (away from both). Using そこ when you mean あそこ can cause confusion.
そこにありますか？ (near listener)
Is it there (by you)?
あそこにありますか？ (away from both)
Is it over there?
トイレはあそこです。
The restroom is over there.
あちらへ行ってください。
Please go over there.
私の家は向こうの川の向こうです。
My house is over there, across the river.
What you can see over there is Mt. Fuji.