A0 · Nullpunkt Kapitel 3

Where Things Are

5 Gesamtregeln
60 Beispiele
5 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of locating and identifying objects in your daily life.

  • Identify objects near and far using demonstratives.
  • Ask simple questions to learn the names of items.
  • Describe the precise location of objects using prepositions.
Point, ask, and locate your world with confidence.

Was du lernen wirst

Welcome! This chapter will help you talk about everything around you. We'll learn to point out things using 'this' and 'that,' and show exactly where they are with 'in,' 'on,' and 'at.' Get ready to describe your world in simple English!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'this' and 'that' to point out objects in your immediate surroundings.

Kapitel-Leitfaden

Overview

Learning to talk about the things around you is one of the most exciting first steps in English! This guide will help you begin to describe your everyday world, whether you're pointing out a cup, asking about a book, or telling someone where your keys are. Mastering these simple building blocks allows you to communicate basic needs and observations, making your first interactions in English much clearer and more confident.
It’s all about understanding where things are and how to refer to them directly. This fundamental knowledge is key for any absolute beginner aiming to learn English A0 grammar and will be useful in countless daily situations, from finding items to understanding directions. You’ll quickly be able to express yourself more effectively, turning simple observations into basic English sentences.
This chapter lays the foundation for all future descriptive language.

How This Grammar Works

Let's explore how we point to and describe objects in English. First, when you want to show someone an object, you use 'this' for one thing that is close to you, and 'these' for many things that are close to you. If the object is far away, you use 'that' for one thing and 'those' for many things.
For example, if a pen is in your hand, you say,
This is a pen.
If a book is across the room, you say,
That is a book.
When you want to ask about something, you often start with
What is this?
for one close object, or
What are these?
for many close objects. Similarly, you'd ask
What is that?
or
What are those?
for things far away. Notice how we use 'is' for one thing (singular) and 'are' for many things (plural).
We also use 'here' to talk about a location close to you, and 'there' for a location far from you. For instance,
My bag is here
or
The car is there.
To show ownership, we use 'my' for things belonging to you and 'your' for things belonging to the person you are talking to. These words must always be followed by a noun. For example,
My book is red
or
Your phone is new.
Finally, to specify where things are, we use prepositions:
* 'In': for something inside an enclosed space (e.g.,
in the box,
in the room
).
* 'On': for something resting on a surface (e.g.,
on the table,
on the wall
).
* 'At': for a specific point or general location (e.g.,
at the door,
at home,
at the park
). Understanding these basic rules will unlock your ability to describe the world around you in simple English.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Mixing up 'is' and 'are' with singular/plural:
* ✗ These is my keys.
* ✓ These are my keys. (Use 'are' for plural 'these'.)
* ✗ Those are my book.
* ✓ That is my book. (Use 'is' for singular 'that'.)
  1. 1Incorrect preposition for location:
* ✗ The apple is on the box. (If it's *inside* the box)
* ✓ The apple is in the box.
* ✗ My phone is in the table. (If it's *on top of* the table)
* ✓ My phone is on the table.
  1. 1Using 'my' or 'your' without a noun:
* ✗ That is my. (What is yours?)
* ✓ That is my book.
* ✗ Where is your? (Your what?)
* ✓ Where is your jacket?

Real Conversations

Conversation 1: Pointing and Asking

A

A

What is this? (A points to a pen on the table, close to A)
B

B

This is a pen.
A

A

And what is that? (A points to a bag across the room)
B

B

That is my bag.

Conversation 2: Location and Possession

A

A

Excuse me, where is my phone?
B

B

Is it on the chair?
A

A

No, it’s not on the chair. Oh, it’s in my pocket! Thank you.

Conversation 3: Close and Far

A

A

Look! This is a nice picture. (Holding the picture)
B

B

Yes, it is! And that is a big tree there. (Pointing out the window)

Quick FAQ

Q: When do I use 'this' versus 'that' in English?

Use 'this' for a single object close to you (like in your hand). Use 'that' for a single object that is farther away from you (like across the room).

Q: What's the main difference between 'in', 'on', and 'at' for beginners?

'In' means something is inside a space (like in a box). 'On' means something is on a surface (like on a table). 'At' means a specific point or general location (like at home or at the bus stop).

Q: Can I say My is good instead of
My life is good
?

No, 'my' always needs a noun right after it. You must say

My life is good
or
My car is fast.
It tells you *whose* noun it is.

Q: How do I ask about a location in English?

You can ask

Where is it?
for a single item, or
Where are they?
for multiple items. Then you can use 'here' or 'there' in your answer, or a preposition like 'in', 'on', or 'at'.

Cultural Context

These simple grammar patterns are the backbone of everyday conversation in English. Native speakers use 'this', 'that', 'in', 'on', and 'at' constantly and naturally. They are not formal or informal; they are simply how you describe the basic existence and location of objects.
Mastering them will make your English sound more natural and your meaning clearer to native speakers from the very beginning.

Wichtige Beispiele (6)

1

Is **this** your coffee?

Ist das hier dein Kaffee?

This & That: Dinge zeigen
2

**That** building is very tall.

Dieses Gebäude dort ist sehr hoch.

This & That: Dinge zeigen
3

This is my pen.

Das ist mein Stift.

My & Your — Einfache Besitzanzeiger
4

Is that your bag?

Ist das deine Tasche?

My & Your — Einfache Besitzanzeiger
5

My phone is `in` my bag.

Mein Handy ist in meiner Tasche.

In, An, Auf: Wo Dinge sind
6

The book is `on` the table.

Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.

In, An, Auf: Wo Dinge sind

Tipps & Tricks (4)

💡

Visualisiere die Distanz!

Stell dir vor, du hättest sehr kurze Arme. Wenn du etwas ohne Laufen erreichen kannst, nimmst du this:
I want this cookie.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This & That: Dinge zeigen
💡

Nutze Abkürzungen für den Flow!

Muttersprachler sagen fast immer "What's this? oder What's that?
. Das klingt viel natürlicher und flüssiger beim Sprechen:
What's that over there?"
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Was ist das? — Nach Dingen fragen
💡

Immer direkt vor das Nomen

Merk dir einfach, dass 'my' und 'your' wie kleine Schatten direkt vor dem Ding stehen, das dir gehört, zum Beispiel: my phone.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Einfache Besitzanzeiger
💡

Visualisiere den Raum

Stell dir den Ort bildlich vor: Wenn du physisch *in* etwas drin bist (wie ein Zimmer), nimm in. Liegt es *oben drauf*, nimm on. Ist es nur ein allgemeiner Spot, nimm at.
The cat is in the box.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: In, An, Auf: Wo Dinge sind

Wichtige Vokabeln (5)

book a written work pen an instrument for writing table a piece of furniture bag a container for carrying things phone a device for calling

Real-World Preview

search

Finding Your Keys

Review Summary

  • This/That + is + [noun]
  • What + is + this/that?
  • My/Your + [noun]
  • [Noun] + is + in/on/at + [place]
  • It is + here/there

Häufige Fehler

You cannot use 'this' for something far away ('there'). Use 'that' for distance.

Wrong: This is my book there.
Richtig: That is my book there.

We use 'on' for surfaces and 'in' for containers. A table is a surface.

Wrong: Where is the pen in the table?
Richtig: Where is the pen on the table?

Use 'my' before a noun, not 'mine'. 'Mine' is used alone.

Wrong: What is that? That is mine book.
Richtig: What is that? That is my book.

Next Steps

You've done an amazing job! Keep looking around and naming your world in English. See you in the next chapter!

Label your furniture with sticky notes using 'This is my...' phrases.

Continue to: Sag, was du willst! Deine Basis für echte Gespräche

Schnelle Übung (10)

Wähle die richtige Form aus

This is ___ coffee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: my
'My' ist der Possessivbegleiter, der zeigt, dass der Kaffee mir gehört. 'I' wäre hier falsch.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Einfache Besitzanzeiger

Welcher Satz ist grammatikalisch richtig?

Wähle den korrekten Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Where are my keys?
Da 'keys' im Plural steht, müssen wir 'are' benutzen. 'My' ist als Besitzwort korrekt.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Einfache Besitzanzeiger

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

What that is? It's a cat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that? It's a cat.
In einer direkten Frage kommt das Verb 'is' vor das Pronomen 'that'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Was ist das? — Nach Dingen fragen

Wähle das richtige Wort, um den Satz zu vervollständigen.

I want ___ apple on the table next to me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: this
Der Apfel liegt 'next to me' (neben mir), also ist er nah und wir brauchen 'this'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This & That: Dinge zeigen

Welcher Satz ist grammatikalisch korrekt?

Wähle den richtigen Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: That is my car over there.
That wird für einzelne Objekte in der Ferne genutzt und braucht das Verb is.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This & That: Dinge zeigen

Welcher Satz ist korrekt?

Wähle den richtigen Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My cat is on the bed.
Die Katze liegt auf der Oberfläche des Bettes. 'On the bed' beschreibt den physischen Ort perfekt.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: In, An, Auf: Wo Dinge sind

Wähle das richtige Wort.

The keys are ____ on the table.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: here
Wenn die Schlüssel auf dem Tisch direkt neben dir liegen, nutzt du here.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Hier & Dort: Einfache Ortsangabe

Wähle die richtige Form

The keys are ___ the desk.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: on
Die Schlüssel liegen auf der Oberfläche des Schreibtisches, also ist 'on' richtig.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: In, An, Auf: Wo Dinge sind

Welcher Satz fragt korrekt nach einem Gegenstand in der Nähe?

Wähle den richtigen Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
Die Struktur 'What is this?' ist die einzige grammatikalisch korrekte Form für Einzahl in der Nähe.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Was ist das? — Nach Dingen fragen

Welcher Satz ist korrekt?

Wähle den richtigen Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My phone is here, in my hand.
Wenn das Handy in deiner Hand ist, ist es sehr nah bei dir, also ist here korrekt.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Hier & Dort: Einfache Ortsangabe

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

Ganz simpel: This ist für Dinge direkt bei dir ('hier'), That für Dinge weiter weg ('dort'):
This is my pen.
Na klar! Du kannst sagen:
This is my friend Sarah
, wenn sie direkt neben dir steht.
Der einfachste Weg ist einfach What is this? oder What is that?. Es ist direkt und klar:
What is this thing?
Eher nicht. What is it? nutzt man meist, wenn das Ding schon erwähnt wurde. Für völlig neue Objekte nimm lieber:
What is this object?
'My' zeigt an, dass etwas dem Sprecher gehört, also mir. 'Your' zeigt an, dass etwas dem Zuhörer gehört, also dir. Zum Beispiel:
This is my pen
.
Nein, zum Glück nicht! Du sagst einfach my book (Einzahl) und my books (Mehrzahl). Englisch macht es uns hier sehr leicht.
Vorheriges Kapitel
Describing People & Things
Nächstes Kapitel
Sag, was du willst! Deine Basis für echte Gespräche
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