In this lesson you will
- Choose こ, そ, あ or ど depending on where things are
- Use これ・それ・あれ・どれ on their own as “this one / that one / which one”
- Use この・その・あの・どの together with a noun
- Talk about places with ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ
- Read and write 何, 上, 下 and 中
Japanese has a neat system for “this”, “that” and “which”. The words come in sets that start with the same sound — こ, そ, あ and ど — so once you understand the pattern, you can use twelve words at once.
The こ・そ・あ・ど pattern
- こ — near the speaker (“this”, “here”).
- そ — near the listener, or something just mentioned (“that”, “there”).
- あ — far from both people (“that over there”).
- ど — the question word (“which?”, “where?”).
| Group | Thing (alone) | + noun | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| こ near me | これ this one | この this … | ここ here |
| そ near you | それ that one | その that … | そこ there |
| あ over there | あれ that one over there | あの that … over there | あそこ over there |
| ど question | どれ which one? | どの which …? | どこ where? |
これ・それ・あれ・どれ: “this one, that one”
These words stand alone, in place of a noun: これは本です (“This is a book”), それは何ですか (“What is that?”). どれ asks “which one?” when there are three or more choices.
この・その・あの・どの: always with a noun
These words cannot stand alone. They must be followed by a noun: この本 (this book), あの人 (that person over there), どのバス (which bus?). Say この本は百円です, never “これ本”.
ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ: places
Use these for places: トイレはあそこです (“The toilet is over there”), えきはどこですか (“Where is the station?”). In shops, hotels and offices you will often hear the polite forms こちら, そちら, あちら and どちら, which also mean “this way”, “that way” and so on.
New kanji: 何, 上, 下, 中
何 means “what”. It is read なん before です and before counters (何時, 何人), and なに before を and が. 上 (on, above), 下 (under, below) and 中 (inside) describe where things are: 本はつくえの上です (“The book is on the desk”).
Common mistakes
- Using これ with a noun: say この本, not “これ本”.
- Using この alone: このは何ですか is wrong; say これは何ですか.
- Using あれ for something near the listener. If it is close to the person you are talking to, use それ.
- Answering a どこ question with これ. Places need ここ, そこ or あそこ.
How to practise
- Walk around your room and name things: これはいすです, あれはドアです.
- Ask a friend about their things: それは何ですか, そのかばんはいくらですか.
- Practise asking for places: トイレはどこですか, えきはどこですか.
- Do the quiz, then the choose-the-word exercise on the worksheet.
Study options
Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| これ | これ | kore | this (one) — near me | Other |
これはわたしのかさです。 Kore wa watashi no kasa desu. This is my umbrella. | ||||
| それ | それ | sore | that (one) — near you | Other |
それは何ですか。 Sore wa nan desu ka. What is that? | ||||
| あれ | あれ | are | that (one) over there | Other |
あれはふじさんです。 Are wa Fujisan desu. That over there is Mt Fuji. | ||||
| どれ | どれ | dore | which (one)? | Other |
リンさんのかばんはどれですか。 Rin-san no kaban wa dore desu ka. Which bag is yours, Lin? | ||||
| この | この | kono | this … (+ noun) | Other |
このペンは百円です。 Kono pen wa hyaku en desu. This pen is 100 yen. | ||||
| その | その | sono | that … (+ noun) — near you | Other |
そのかさはだれのですか。 Sono kasa wa dare no desu ka. Whose umbrella is that? | ||||
| あの | あの | ano | that … over there (+ noun) | Other |
あの人はわたしの先生です。 Ano hito wa watashi no sensei desu. That person over there is my teacher. | ||||
| どの | どの | dono | which … ? (+ noun) | Other |
どのバスにのりますか。 Dono basu ni norimasu ka. Which bus do you take? | ||||
| ここ | ここ | koko | here | Other |
ここはわたしのへやです。 Koko wa watashi no heya desu. This is my room. | ||||
| そこ | そこ | soko | there (near you) | Other |
そこにすわってください。 Soko ni suwatte kudasai. Please sit there. | ||||
| あそこ | あそこ | asoko | over there | Other |
えきはあそこです。 Eki wa asoko desu. The station is over there. | ||||
| どこ | どこ | doko | where? | Other |
すみません、トイレはどこですか。 Sumimasen, toire wa doko desu ka. Excuse me, where is the toilet? | ||||
| 何 | なに・なん | nani / nan | what | Other |
これは何ですか。 Kore wa nan desu ka. What is this? | ||||
| 上 | うえ | ue | on; above; top | Noun |
かぎはつくえの上にあります。 Kagi wa tsukue no ue ni arimasu. The key is on the desk. | ||||
| 中 | なか | naka | inside; in | Noun |
かばんの中にさいふがあります。 Kaban no naka ni saifu ga arimasu. There is a wallet in the bag. | ||||
Grammar
これ・それ・あれは〜です
This / that (one) is …
これ, それ and あれ stand alone as the topic. Choose by distance: near you → これ; near the listener → それ; far from both → あれ. When someone asks with それ (about the thing near you), you answer with これ, and the other way round.
Examples
これはわたしの本です。
これはわたしのほんです。
Kore wa watashi no hon desu.
This is my book.
それは何ですか。
それはなんですか。
Sore wa nan desu ka.
What is that (near you)?
これは日本のおかしです。
これはにほんのおかしです。
Kore wa Nihon no okashi desu.
This is a Japanese sweet.
この・その・あの + noun
this … / that … / that … over there
この, その and あの always come directly before a noun. They work like これ, それ and あれ, but point to a specific noun.
Examples
この本はいくらですか。
このほんはいくらですか。
Kono hon wa ikura desu ka.
How much is this book?
あの人は日本人です。
あのひとはにほんじんです。
Ano hito wa Nihonjin desu.
That person over there is Japanese.
ここ・そこ・あそこは〜です／〜はここです
Here / there is … ; … is here/there
Use these for places. 〜はどこですか asks where something is; answer with ここ, そこ or あそこ + です.
Examples
トイレはどこですか。
トイレはどこですか。
Toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the toilet?
あそこです。
あそこです。
Asoko desu.
It is over there.
どれ・どの・どこ
question words: which one? / which …? / where?
どれ asks “which one” among three or more things. どの needs a noun after it. どこ asks “where”. A question word is never followed by は; use が instead: どれがリンさんのですか.
Examples
リンさんのかさはどれですか。
リンさんのかさはどれですか。
Rin-san no kasa wa dore desu ka.
Which umbrella is yours, Lin?
どの人が先生ですか。
どのひとがせんせいですか。
Dono hito ga sensei desu ka.
Which person is the teacher?
Kanji
Select a kanji to see its readings, stroke count and example words.
何what
- On’yomi
- カ
- Kun’yomi
- なに、なん
- Strokes
- 7
Example words
- 何 なに・なん what
- 何時 なんじ what time
- 何人 なんにん how many people
上up; above; on
- On’yomi
- ジョウ
- Kun’yomi
- うえ、あ（げる）、のぼ（る）
- Strokes
- 3
Example words
- 上 うえ on; above
- 上手 じょうず skilful; good at
下down; below; under
- On’yomi
- カ、ゲ
- Kun’yomi
- した、さ（げる）、お（りる）
- Strokes
- 3
Example words
- 下 した under; below
- 地下鉄 ちかてつ subway
- 下さい ください please (give me)
中inside; middle
- On’yomi
- チュウ
- Kun’yomi
- なか
- Strokes
- 4
Example words
- 中 なか inside
- 中国 ちゅうごく China
- 一日中 いちにちじゅう all day long
Practice quiz
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between それ and あれ?
それ points to something near the listener (or something they just mentioned). あれ points to something far from both of you, or something you both know about. If your friend holds a book, it is それ to you and これ to them.
Why can’t I say これ本?
これ already means “this thing”, so it cannot take another noun. To say “this book”, use この, which is made to go before a noun: この本.
What are こちら, そちら, あちら and どちら?
They are the polite versions of ここ, そこ, あそこ and どこ, used in shops, hotels and offices. They also mean “this way”, “that way” and so on, and どちら can mean “which of the two”. In everyday speech you will hear the casual forms こっち, そっち, あっち and どっち.
When is 何 read なに and when なん?
As a rule of thumb, なん comes before です and before counters and sounds starting with d, n or t (なんですか, なんじ, なんにん). なに comes before を, が and most other words (なにをしますか). You will get a feel for it quickly.