Let's Learn About Japanese Demonstratives (Ko-So-A-Do words)

In common and daily conversation, we often use demostrative words like "this" "that" "these" "those" "here" "there" "over there" and so on. So, In this lesson we're gonna learn about demonstrative in Japanese language^^. これ (kore) means =this、それ(sore) means that (far from the speaker and near from people you talk with)、あれ(are) means that (far from both speaker and listener) and どれ (dore) means which, these words known as こそあど言葉 (Ko-So-A-Do kotoba or words) and these words are used to refer to things, animals or people around them. Example:

これ はなんですか？
kore wa nandesu ka?
what is this?
これは鉛筆です
kore wa enpitsu desu
this is a pencil
それ はあなたの鞄ですか？
sore wa anata no kaban desu ka?
is that your bag?
はい、これは私の鞄です
hai, kore wa watashi no kaban desu
yes, this is my bag
あれは富士山ですか？
are wa fujisan desu ka?
is that (far over there) Fuji mountain?
いいえ、あれは富士山ではない、エヴェレス山です
iie, are wa fujisan dewa nai, eberesusan desu
no, that is not Fuji mountain, it's Everest mountain
あなたの車が どれ ですか？
anata no kuruma ga dore desu ka?
which is your car?
あれが私の車です
are ga watashi no kuruma desu
that (over there) is my car

*か at the end of a sentence is a question particle, In Japanese to make a question, we don't need to change the word order, but just attach か particle after です^^.

Add ら to the end of demonstrative words to refer a plural noun:

それら はあなたの鉛筆ですか
sorera wa anata no enpitsu desu ka?
are those your pencils?
これらは私のおもちゃです
korera wa watashi no omocha desu
these are my toys
あれらはワタしの車でした
arera wa watashi no kuruma deshita
those (over there) were my cars

Unlike in the English where 'this + noun' or 'that + noun' is followed by nouns, demonstrative pronouns in Japanese are not followed by noun. And to make a sentence "this + noun" or "thst + noun", use この (kono)、その (sono) and あの (ano) [demonstrative adjective].

Formula;
Kono + noun
Sono + noun
Ano + noun
Dono + noun

Below are some examples:

この本は面白いです
kono hon wa omoshiroi desu
this book is interesting
この授業は好きですか
kono jugyou wa suki desu ka
do you like this lesson
その本はあなたのですか
sono hon wa anata no hon desu ka
is that book yours?
あの女は綺麗ですね
ano onna wa kirei desu ne
that girl is beautiful, right?
私はあの女が好きです
watashi wa ano onna ga suki desu
I like that girl (over there)
私の鞄はどの鞄ですか
watashi no kaban wa dono kaban desu ka
which one of (these bags) is mine?

It's simple, isn't it?^^ and next let's add こ (ko) to Ko-So-A-Do and become ここ (koko) means "here"、そこ (soko) means "there"、あそこ (asoko) remember asoko, not ako, okay? it means "over there"、and どこ (doko) means "where". Example:

ここ は寒いですね
koko wa samui desu ne
it's cold, here (here is cold)
そこ は暑いですか
soko wa atsui desu ka
is hot there?
あそこ はインドネシアの国です
asoko wa Indonesia no kuni desu
over there is Indonesia country
あなたは どこ で住んでいますか
anata wa doko de sunde imasu ka
where do you live

And here are other demonstrative and the translation:
ko-so-a-do + chira
Direction
こちら (kochira)
this way
そちら (sochira)
that way
あちら (achira)
that way over there
どちら (dochira)
which way

Attributives
ko-so-a-do + nna + noun
sort
こんな (konna) + noun
this sort of ___
そんな (sonna) + noun
that sort of ___
あんな (anna) + noun
that other sort of ___
どんな (donna) + noun
which sort of ___?

Alright, our こそあど言葉 ko-so-a-do words lesson finished^^ if you having trouble understanding this lesson, just leave a comment^^, and I'll be right back, see you next time learners, mata ashita ne mina-san^^.

Posted by Riizhu

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