Synonym for "in front of"

[Attila]

Hi All,

I often ask people if he is in the his office where his computer located.

I always ask him following:
Are you in front of the computer?

But I want to know if he is in the same room where the PC is, it doesn't matter if he isn't sitting in front of the PC.

How could I ask him that sounds more English?

[Yankee]

Hi Attila

You could say:
"Are you near the computer?"
But that doesn't really ask whether the person is actually in the same room.

Another possibility might be simply:
"Are you in the room with the computer?"

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Conchita]

You could also ask them:

"Do you sit next to a/the computer?"

[Tamara]

[Yankee]

Hi Attila

What is the context of your question? Do you want to know whether the person is usually in the same room with the PC or do you want to ask whether the person is near the PC at the moment? (During a support phone call, for example.)

Hi Tamara
At the PC and in front of the PC are both OK and basically synonymous. That would be a position appropriate for using the PC.

Near or next to the PC are also OK. But in this case the person is probably not in a position to actually use the PC. To use the PC, the person would have to move to the at or in front of position.

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Attila]

Hi Yankee,

Thanks for your answer.

I want to know whether he is near the computer at the moment I call him and when I tell him to click the program on his PC, he can do it.