Learn Hardcore Japanese: kouen no tikaku ni konbini ga arimasu. - There is a convenience store near the park.

So here の is not possessive in the strict sense, but it plays a similar role: it connects 公園 to 近く to show that this “nearby area” belongs to / is associated with the park.

What exactly is 近く? How is it different from 近い?

近く (chikaku) and 近い (chikai) are related but different:

近い = an i‑adjective meaning “near / close”
- Example: この店は公園に近いです。
  “This shop is near the park.”
近く = usually treated as a noun meaning “vicinity / nearby area”, and also used adverbially:
- In this sentence: 公園の近く = “the area near the park”
- Often used with に: 近くに = “nearby / in the vicinity”

In 公園の近くにコンビニがあります, the pattern is:

X の近くに Y があります
= “There is Y near X.”

So:

近く: “vicinity” (noun-ish)
近い: “is near” (adjective)

Why do we use に after 近く? Why not で?

With verbs of existence like あります and います, the place is marked by に, not で.

に with あります / います: marks the location where something exists
- 公園の近くにコンビニがあります。
  “There is a convenience store near the park.”
で: marks the place where an action happens
- 公園の近くでタバコを吸います。
  “I smoke near the park.”

So here the convenience store exists in that place, so we use 近くに, not 近くで.

Why is が used with コンビニ instead of は?

In sentences with あります / います describing existence, the thing that exists is normally marked with が:

X に Y があります。 = “There is Y at X.”

Here:

公園の近くに = place
コンビニが = thing that exists (subject)
あります = “there is”

We usually use が when:

We introduce something as new information (“There is a ~”).
We are simply stating that something exists.

Using は (コンビニは) would shift the focus to “as for the convenience store…” and sounds like you’re going to comment about it, not just say that it exists there. The natural pattern for this kind of “there is …” sentence is に + が + あります.

What is the difference between あります, います, and です?

They all relate to “being” but are used differently:

あります
- Used for inanimate things: objects, buildings, plants, events, etc.
- 公園の近くにコンビニがあります。
  “There is a convenience store near the park.”
います
- Used for animate beings: people, animals (things considered “living”).
- 公園の近くに犬がいます。
  “There is a dog near the park.”
です
- Used to equate or describe things, not to say “there is”.
- ここは公園です。 = “This is a park.”
- このコンビニは便利です。 = “This convenience store is convenient.”

So for “there is/are”:

non‑living → あります
living → います

Can I change the word order, like コンビニが公園の近くにあります?

Yes, that’s fine.

Both are natural:

公園の近くにコンビニがあります。
コンビニが公園の近くにあります。

Japanese word order is relatively flexible as long as particles are correct. The most important or new information often comes toward the end.

Nuance:

公園の近くにコンビニがあります。
→ Emphasis feels a bit more on the existence/location: “Near the park, there is a convenience store.”
コンビニが公園の近くにあります。
→ Slightly more emphasis on where the convenience store is: “The convenience store is near the park.”

Both are normal; in everyday speech the first pattern (place + に + thing + が + あります) is very common when introducing that something exists.

What is コンビニ, and why is it written in katakana?

コンビニ is a shortened form of コンビニエンスストア, which comes from “convenience store” in English.

Japanese often shortens long loanwords:
- コンビニエンスストア → コンビニ
- パーソナルコンピューター → パソコン (personal computer)

Loanwords from foreign languages are usually written in katakana, so コンビニ appears in katakana, not kanji or hiragana.

Why is there no word for “a” or “the” in this sentence?

Japanese has no articles like “a / an / the”. The sentence:

公園の近くにコンビニがあります。

could be translated depending on context as:

“There is a convenience store near the park.”
“There is the convenience store near the park.”
“There are convenience stores near the park.” (if context suggests plural)

Number and definiteness (“a” vs “the”) are usually understood from context. The Japanese sentence itself doesn’t force singular/plural or definite/indefinite.

Could I say 公園にコンビニがあります instead of 公園の近くに? What’s the difference?

You can say 公園にコンビニがあります, but the nuance is different:

公園にコンビニがあります。
→ “There is a convenience store in/at the park.”
It sounds like the convenience store is inside the park area, or directly at the park location.
公園の近くにコンビニがあります。
→ “There is a convenience store near the park.”
The store is not in the park, but in the surrounding area.

So if you mean “near the park (but not in it)”, use 公園の近くに.

Are there other common ways to say “near” besides 近く?

Yes, some common ones are:

そば – very similar to 近く, “near / by”
- 公園のそばにコンビニがあります。
  “There is a convenience store by the park.”
となり – “next to” with almost no gap
- 公園のとなりにコンビニがあります。
  “There is a convenience store next to the park.”
よこ – “beside / to the side of”
- Often used more for the side of an object/building.

近く is the most general “nearby area,” while そば is very similar in everyday use. となり is stricter: it suggests directly next to something.

Can any parts be left out in casual speech, like particles or words?

In very casual conversation, some parts may be dropped if context is clear, but textbook‑correct is:

公園の近くにコンビニがあります。

Possible casual reductions (depending on context):

公園の近くにコンビニあるよ。
→ Drop ます, add よ for tone.
If you’ve already mentioned the park:
近くにコンビニある。
→ Drop 公園の because it’s understood.

However, this would not be natural:

公園の近くコンビニがあります。 (missing に)

You should keep crucial particles like に and が until you’re very comfortable with when they can be omitted.

What is the plain (non‑polite) form of this sentence?

Polite form:

公園の近くにコンビニがあります。

Plain form:

公園の近くにコンビニがある。

Changes:

あります → ある (plain)
Sentence‑final 。 tone is casual instead of polite.

Use:

あります with people you should be polite to (teachers, strangers, most workplace situations).
ある with friends, family, or in very casual settings.