Log inSign up

atarashii tatemono no chika ni resutoran ga aru.

新あたらしい　建物たてもの　の　地下ちか　に　レストラン　が　ある。atarashii tatemono no chika ni resutoran ga aru.
There is a restaurant in the basement of the new building.
FromLesson 13inHardcore Japanese

Questions & Answers about atarashii tatemono no chika ni resutoran ga aru.

What does the particle の do in 建物の地下?
の shows a relationship between two nouns (possession, location, classification). Here, 建物の地下 means “the basement of the building.”
Why doesn’t 新しい use の when it comes before 建物?
新しい is an i-adjective, and i-adjectives directly modify nouns without needing の. So 新しい建物 means “new building.”
Why is the particle に used after 地下?
In existential sentences (with ある/いる), に marks the location where something exists. Thus 地下に means “in the basement.”
Why do we use が before ある instead of を or は?
が marks the subject (the thing that exists) in sentences with ある/いる. It introduces new information: レストランがある means “there is a restaurant.”
Can I replace が with は here?

Yes, but it shifts the focus.
– レストランが地下にある。 (There is a restaurant in the basement. → New info: the restaurant’s existence.)
– レストランは地下にある。 (As for the restaurant, it’s in the basement. → You’re talking about a known restaurant and stating its location.)

Why is ある used instead of いる?
Use ある for inanimate objects and places; use いる for animate beings (people, animals). A restaurant is inanimate, so we say ある.
Why is レストラン written in katakana?
Katakana is used for foreign loanwords. レストラン comes from the English/French word “restaurant,” so it’s written in katakana.
How do you pronounce 地下 and what exactly does it mean?
地下 is read ちか (chi-ka). It literally means “under ground,” commonly translated as “basement” or “underground level.”
Can I change the word order in this sentence?

Japanese word order is flexible because particles mark roles. You could say:
レストランが新しい建物の地下にある。
However, leading with 新しい建物の地下に (the location) is more natural when you want to set the scene first.

What’s the difference between 建物の地下 and 地下の建物?

– 建物の地下: “the basement of the building” (the space under that specific building).
– 地下の建物: “an underground building” (a building located entirely underground).

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Japanese

Master Japanese — from atarashii tatemono no chika ni resutoran ga aru to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Open the Japanese course →