In, on, near, other
Relational nouns that attach to another noun with no to say where something is (in, on, in front, near) or that it is a different one.
naka / soto
inside, among / outside
中 / 外 なか / そと
Places things in or out of something (kaban no naka, soto de), and X no naka de ichiban means 'the most out of X'.
naka ja nakute, soto ni aru yo.
It's not inside, it's outside.
中じゃなくて、外にあるよ。
naka ja nakute, soto ni arimasu yo.
It's not inside, it's outside.
中じゃなくて、外にありますよ。
naka also means 'relationship' (naka ga ii = get along well).
Learn alongside: ue / shita, mae / ushiro
ue / shita
on, above / under, below
上 / 下 うえ / した
Places things above or below (tsukue no ue), and gives relative age or rank (futatsu ue = two years older).
ue ja nakute, shita ni aru yo.
It's not on top, it's underneath.
上じゃなくて、下にあるよ。
ue ja nakute, shita ni arimasu yo.
It's not on top, it's underneath.
上じゃなくて、下にありますよ。
shita also means 'tongue' and 'did' (past of suru); context sorts it.
Learn alongside: naka / soto, mae / ushiro
hoka
other; else
他 ほか
Comes before no or ni: hoka no means 'another, other' and hoka ni means 'besides, anything else'.
hoka no wa nai?
Do you have any others?
他のはない？
hoka no wa arimasen ka?
Do you have any others?
他のはありませんか？
hoka ni wa? is the quick 'anything else?' follow-up.
mae / ushiro
in front (of) / behind
前 / 後ろ まえ / うしろ
Places people and things in front or behind (eki no mae, ushiro no seki); X no mae de is the standard way to set a meeting point.
mae ja nakute, ushiro ni aru yo.
It's not on the front, it's on the back.
前じゃなくて、後ろにあるよ。
mae ja nakute, ushiro ni arimasu yo.
It's not on the front, it's on the back.
前じゃなくて、後ろにありますよ。
eki no mae de matteru ne = I'll wait in front of the station. In time, the opposite of mae is ato (ato de = later), not ushiro.
Learn alongside: naka / soto, ue / shitaLearn first: naka / soto
chikaku
near; nearby
近く ちかく
Says something is close by: after a noun + no it means 'near X' (eki no chikaku), and on its own it means 'nearby' (chikaku ni aru, chikaku no mise).
eki no chikaku ni aru yo.
It's near the station.
駅の近くにあるよ。
eki no chikaku ni arimasu yo.
It's near the station.
駅の近くにありますよ。
For 'a nearby shop' say chikaku no mise, not chikai mise; chikai + noun mostly comes as ichiban chikai (the nearest). The adjective chikai talks about the distance itself (eki kara chikai = close to the station).
Learn first: naka / soto