These three words are demonstrative pronouns, essential for referring to objects based on their location relative to you (the speaker) and the person you're talking to (the listener). Think of them as the Japanese equivalents of "this," "that," and "that over there." Using them correctly will make your Japanese sound much more natural!
| Japanese | Romanization (Romaji) | Meaning | Usage | Visual Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| これ | kore | This (one) / This thing | Refers to an object that is near the speaker (you). It's within your immediate reach or close proximity. Consider it "this thing right here". | Imagine you're holding an apple. You would say: "これ" (kore). |
| それ | sore | That (one) / That thing | Refers to an object that is near the listener (the person you're talking to), but not near the speaker. It's within their immediate reach or close proximity. Consider it "that thing near you". | Imagine someone else is holding an apple. You would say: "それ" (sore). |
| あれ | are | That (one) over there / That thing over there | Refers to an object that is far from both the speaker and the listener. It's neither near you nor the person you're talking to. It's "that thing way over there". It can also refer to things you can't see (but you know exist). | Imagine an apple is on a table across the room. You would say: "あれ" (are). |
Key Differences Explained:
It's crucial to understand that the reference point is proximity. "Near" is relative!
これ (kore): Imagine holding something in your hand. "Kore" is perfect for that.
それ (sore): If you're pointing to something the other person is holding or standing next to, use "sore."
あれ (are): If you both have to look a significant distance to see something, "are" is the word. "Are" can also be used for things you used to have, but now don't possess and are far away from you.
More Examples:
To inquire about the identity of an object, you'll use the question word なに (nani) or なん (nan), both meaning "what." The choice between them often depends on the word that follows. 'Nan' is usually followed by 'da', 'de', 'to', or a word starting with 'd'. In this case, because 'desu' follows 'nan', we will use なん (nan)
The question structure is:
[これ/それ/あれ] + は (wa) + なんですか (nan desu ka)?
Here's how to ask "What is this/that?" using each demonstrative pronoun:
これは なんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?) - What is this?
それは なんですか？ (Sore wa nan desu ka?) - What is that?
あれは なんですか？ (Are wa nan desu ka?) - What is that (over there)?
Important Note on なに vs. なん:
While both mean "what," なん (nan) is often used before words that start with the 'd' sound or certain particles (like 'da', 'de', 'to'), for pronunciation ease. In this case, since "desu" follows, "nan" is more common and natural. You'll pick up on these nuances with practice.
Adding Politeness with 丁寧語 (Teineigo):
Adding お (o) before the word can increase politeness. For example, お名前 (o-namae) for "name." However, this isn't common with 'nan'.
To answer the question "What is this/that?", you'll state the object's name followed by です (desu). This is a polite copula (linking verb), similar to "is" in English.
Structure:
[Object Name] + です (desu)
Let's expand our vocabulary with some more common object words:
| Japanese | Romanization (Romaji) | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| いす | isu | Chair | これは いすです。(Kore wa isu desu.) - This is a chair. |
| つくえ | tsukue | Desk | それは つくえです。(Sore wa tsukue desu.) - That is a desk. |
| テレビ | terebi | Television | あれは テレビです。(Are wa terebi desu.) - That is a television (over there). |
| けいたいでんわ | keitaidenwa | Cell Phone | これは けいたいでんわです。(Kore wa keitaidenwa desu.) - This is a cell phone. |
| パソコン | pasokon | Personal Computer | それは パソコンです。(Sore wa pasokon desu.) - That is a personal computer. |
| 冷蔵庫 (れいぞうこ) | reizouko | Refrigerator | あれは 冷蔵庫です。(Are wa reizouko desu.) - That is a refrigerator (over there). |
| カメラ | kamera | Camera | これは カメラです。(Kore wa kamera desu.) - This is a camera. |
| 地図 (ちず) | chizu | Map | それは 地図です。(Sore wa chizu desu.) - That is a map. |
| 窓 (まど) | mado | Window | あれは 窓です。(Are wa mado desu.) - That is a window (over there). |
Remember: Many modern objects have English loanwords, often written in Katakana. Using these can be easier to remember!
Example Conversations (Expanded):
Scenario 1: Object near you (speaker) - A book
You: これは なんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?) - What is this? (Holding the book) Friend: それは 本です。 (Sore wa hon desu.) - That is a book. (Friend sees the book you are holding) You: そうです。本です。面白いですよ。(Sou desu. Hon desu. Omoshiroi desu yo.) - That's right. It's a book. It's interesting!
Scenario 2: Object near your friend (listener) - A cell phone
You: それは なんですか？ (Sore wa nan desu ka?) - What is that? (Pointing to friend's cell phone) Friend: これは けいたいでんわです。 (Kore wa keitaidenwa desu.) - This is a cell phone. (Friend holds up the cell phone) You: けいたいでんわですか。新しいですね。(Keitaidenwa desu ka. Atarashii desu ne.) - It's a cell phone? It's new, isn't it.
Scenario 3: Object far from both - A car
You: あれは なんですか？ (Are wa nan desu ka?) - What is that over there? (Pointing to a car in the distance) Friend: あれは 車です。 (Are wa kuruma desu.) - That over there is a car. You: くるま ですか。大きいですね。(Kuruma desu ka. Ookii desu ne.) - It's a car? It's big, isn't it?
Scenario 4: A picture on the wall (slightly distant)
You: それは なんですか？ (Sore wa nan desu ka?) - What is that? (Referring to a picture on the wall) Friend: これは 絵です。 (Kore wa e desu) - This is a picture. (The friend understands you are asking about the picture even though it is not directly in either of your hands)
The particle は (wa) is extremely important. It marks the topic of the sentence. The topic is what you are talking about. It is not necessarily the subject of the sentence.
In our examples:
Think of it like highlighting the main focus of the sentence. Understanding particles is key to understanding Japanese grammar!
Here are some examples, note that は is usually written as 'ha' but pronounced 'wa':
*私は学生です (Watashi wa gakusei desu). - I am a student. (Topic: I) *犬はかわいいです (Inu wa kawaii desu). - Dogs are cute. (Topic: Dogs) *日本は素晴らしいです (Nihon wa subarashii desu). - Japan is wonderful. (Topic: Japan)
"Kore, Sore, Are" belong to a larger family of words starting with "Ko-," "So-," "A-," and "Do-." These prefixes relate to distance. While we've covered "Kore, Sore, Are" as demonstrative pronouns, these prefixes also appear in adjectives, adverbs, and question words.
Here are some examples:
| Prefix | Meaning | Pronoun | Adjective | Adverb | Question Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ko- | Near the speaker | これ (kore) | この (kono) | こちら (kochira) | どこ (doko) |
| So- | Near the listener | それ (sore) | その (sono) | そちら (sochira) | |
| A- | Far from both | あれ (are) | あの (ano) | あちら (achira) | |
| Do- | Question / Indefinite | どれ (dore) | どの (dono) | どちら (dochira) |
Let's focus on the adjective forms: この (kono), その (sono), あの (ano).
Examples:
Notice how "kono," "sono," and "ano" modify the noun that follows them. They describe which chair, book, or mountain you're talking about. You cannot say "これは いすです" when referring to "this chair", you must say "このいすは いすです".
Here are some exercises to solidify your understanding:
Exercise 1: Choosing the Correct Demonstrative Pronoun
Imagine the following scenarios and choose the correct demonstrative pronoun (これ, それ, あれ):
You are holding a key in your hand. You would say: ____ は 鍵です。( ____ wa kagi desu.)
Your friend is holding a map. You would say: ____ は 地図です。( ____ wa chizu desu.)
You see a clock on a distant tower. You would say: ____ は 時計です。( ____ wa tokei desu.)
Exercise 2: Answering "What is This/That?"
Someone asks you the following questions. Provide appropriate answers using the vocabulary you've learned.
(You are holding a pen) Question: これは なんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?)
(Your friend is pointing to a TV) Question: それは なんですか？ (Sore wa nan desu ka?)
(You both see a mountain in the distance) Question: あれは なんですか？ (Are wa nan desu ka?)
Exercise 3: Using "Kono, Sono, Ano"
Fill in the blanks with the correct adjective (この, その, あの):
____ 傘は 私のです。( ____ kasa wa watashi no desu.) - This umbrella is mine. (The umbrella is near the speaker)
____ 机は 古いです。( ____ tsukue wa furui desu.) - That desk is old. (The desk is near the listener)
____ 車は 高いです。( ____ kuruma wa takai desu.) - That car over there is expensive. (The car is far from both)