Japanese Grammar Bank

THIS & THAT IN JAPANESE

Just like in English we will choose the right word depending on the location of what we’re talking about, it if it is near the listener or speaker.

However, it is a little bit more complex!

In this lesson we explain everything in details.

GENERAL PATTERN

Let’s get the basics out of the way first.

In Japanese, the following ideas exist throughout the whole of saying “this” and “that.

  • Words starting with こ (ko) are to indicate something near the speaker.
  • Words starting with そ (so) are to indicate something near the listener.
  • Words starting with あ (a) are to indicate something far from both the speaker and listener.

WITH これ, それ, あれ

これ kore

それ sore

あれ are

Let’s check the meaning of these words first:

  • これ means “this”
  • それ means “that (close to the listener)”
  • あれ means “that over there (far from speaker and listener)”.

They are pronouns so they can be used alone.

Please see the dialogues below which outlines how these words might be used in a conversation.

EXAMPLE 1

Read this dialogue:

A これは何ですか？ Kore wa nan desu ka?What is this?
B それは鉛筆です。 Sore wa enpitsu desu.That is a pencil.
A ああ、そうですか。じゃあ、これは何ですか？ Aa, sō desu ka. Jaa, kore wa nan desu ka? Oh, I see. Then, what is this?
B これは消しゴムです。 Kore wa keshigomu desu.This is an eraser.

In this dialogue, person A asks what “this” is, referring to an object they are pointing to.

Person B responds by using それ, which means “that” and refers to an object that is away from the speaker and closer to the listener. Person B also specifies the object as a pencil.

Person A then asks what another object is, pointing to a different one.

Person B responds using これ, which means “this” and refers to an object that is close to the speaker. Person B also specifies this object as an eraser.

By using それ and これ appropriately, person B is able to clarify which object they are referring to in response to person A’s questions.

EXAMPLE 2

A あれは何ですか? Are wa nan desu ka?What is that over there?
B あれはテレビです。 Are wa terebi desu.That over there is a TV.
A なるほど、ありがとうございます。じゃあ、これは何ですか？ Naruhodo, arigatou gozaimasu. Jaa, kore wa nan desu ka?I see, thank you. Then, what is this?
B これはリモコンです。 Kore wa rimokon desu.This is a remote control.

In this dialogue, person A asks what “that” is, referring to an object that is far away from both the speaker and the listener.

Person B responds using あれ, and specifies the object as a TV.

Person A then asks what “this” is, referring to an object that is close to the speaker.

Person B responds using これ, and specifies the object as a remote control.

By using あれ and これ appropriately, person B is able to clarify which object they are referring to in response to person A’s questions.

WITH この, その, あの

この kono

その sono

あの ano

These shouldn’t be so hard. They follow the same pattern as everything we’ve just been through, but these can only be used before nouns.

For example, “this pencil” would be “この鉛筆 (kono enpitsu)”. 

EXAMPLE 1

A この本は何ですか？ Kono hon wa nan desu ka?What is this book?
B その本は辞書です。 Sono hon wa jisho desu.That book is a dictionary.
A あの本は何ですか？ Ano hon wa nan desu ka?What about that book over there?
B あの本は小説です。 Ano hon wa shousetsu desu.That book over there is a novel.

In this dialogue, person A uses この to refer to an object that is close to them, and person B responds using その to refer to an object that is closer to them than to person A.

Person A then uses あの to refer to an object that is far away from both speakers, and person B responds accordingly.

EXAMPLE 2

A この車は誰のですか？ Kono kuruma wa dare no desu ka?Whose car is this?
B この車は私のです。 Kono kuruma wa watashi no desu.This car is mine.
A その車は誰のですか? Kono kuruma wa dare no desu ka?Whose car is that?
B その車は友達のです。 Sono kuruma wa tomodachi no desu.That car over there belongs to my friend.

In this dialogue, person A uses この to refer to a car that is close to them, and person B responds that the car belongs to them.

Person A then uses その to refer to a car that is closer to person B than themselves, and person B responds that it belongs to their friend.

SUMMARY

Let’s summarise what we’ve seen in this lesson about this and that in Japanese:

  • The general pattern: こ “this”, そ “that”, あ a “that over there”.
  • これ, それ and あれ are pronouns and can be used alone.
  • この, その and あの are always paired with nouns.

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FAQs

How do you say this in Japanese?

In Japanese これ (kore) and この (kono) can be used to say ‘this’.

こ in general means “this”.

この (kono) specifically can only be used with nouns.

How do you say that in Japanese?

In Japanese それ (sore) and その (sono) can be used to say ‘that’.

そ in general means “that”.

その (sono) specifically can only be used with nouns.

How do you say but in Japanese?

The most common way to express “but” in Japanese is with the word demo でも.

英語は簡単です。でも、日本語は難しいです。

Eigo wa kantan desu. Demo, Nihongo wa muzukashii desu.

English is easy, but Japanese is difficult.

—

Another way to say but in Japanese is けど (kedo), which is a conjunction used to connect two clauses.

天気が悪かったけど、楽しい旅行でした。

Tenki ga warukatta kedo, tanoshii ryokou deshita.

The weather was bad, but it was a fun trip.

How do you say and in Japanese?

The particle と (to) is used to connect nouns or noun phrases that are being compared or are in a partnership.

This is probably the simplest way to convey “and” and one you’ll use all the time.

彼女は猫と犬を飼っている。

Kanojo wa neko to inu wo katte iru.

She has a cat and a dog as pets.

彼は自転車とバスで通勤している。

Kare wa jitensha to basu de tsuukin shite iru.

He commutes to work by bicycle and bus.

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