どこ ですか / どこ に ありますか

[WhiteDay]

Hello there
I haven't been here for a very long, long time.....

Today I got a question from what I recently learned. I'm not sure about the difference between (1) OO は どこ ですか and (2) OO は どこ に ありますか.

In my opinion, (1) asks directly where OO is as if OO is surely somewhere around while (2) wants to know more like whether there is OO somewhere around and also asks where it is located if there is one. Or are they just the same?

Please help, thank you.
おねがいします

[RadioKid]

You understand correctly.

(1) Where is it?
(2) Where does it exist?

When I am looking for something in a store, I will use (2). Beginner of Japanese learner will use (1) and it will also work.

[WhiteDay]

Originally Posted by RadioKid

You understand correctly.

(1) Where is it?
(2) Where does it exist?

When I am looking for something in a store, I will use (2). Beginner of Japanese learner will use (1) and it will also work.

Thank you RadioKid!

And does (2) sound a bit more formal or polite than (1) anyway?

[RadioKid]

Example(2) is neither formal nor polite. IMHO, it has just more information than (1) implying "I can not find it".

In the polite form, it would be "それはどちらにございますか".

"どちら" shall be translated as "which" in normal form. But in this polite case, it shall be translated as "where" because of very old wording.

[WhiteDay]

Originally Posted by RadioKid

Example(2) is neither formal nor polite. IMHO, it has just more information than (1) implying "I can not find it".

In the polite form, it would be "それはどちらにございますか".

"どちら" shall be translated as "which" in normal form. But in this polite case, it shall be translated as "where" because of very old wording.

どうもありがとうございました