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Japanese Grammar: これ(kore)/それ(sore)/あれ(are)|Japanese Demonstratives – Territory|JLPT N5

2022年9月26日月曜日

Elementary grammar N5

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In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Japanese demonstratives これ / それ / あれ.

You're traveling in Japan with a Japanese friend as your guide. You're on a train. You see a tall tower outside the window. Let's ask your Japanese friend what that is. In such a situation, you ask like this:あれは なんですか。


👉<Use>

Demonstrative words are words like "this" and "that" that show which thing is being referred to.

Japanese has three demonstratives depending on distance from the speaker and listener.

Japanese demonstratives that begin with the prefix "こ-(ko-)/そ-(so-)/あ-(a-)", are used depending on whether what the speaker is referring to is in the speaker's territory, the listener's territory, or far from either.

⚠こちら / そちら / あちら are politer than これ / それ / あれ.

これ(こちら)

"これ" refers to a thing that is close to the speaker.

それ(そちら)

"それ" refers to a thing that is close to the listener.

あれ(あちら)

"あれ" refers to a thing that is neither close to the speaker nor the listener.

"あれは なんですか。" means "What is that?"


The demonstratives これ / それ / あれ work as nouns.


👉<Examples>

Kore wa tokei desu.
This is a watch.

Kochira wa 1000 en desu.
This costs 1000 yen.

Sore wa shatsu desu.
That is a shirt.

Sochira wa ikura desu ka.
How much is that?

Kimura-san no kaban wa are desu.
Ms. Kimura’s bag is that one.

Achira wa Furansu no wain desu.
That is French wine.


Video Explanation


Speaking Practice

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Suggested Study Material

Genki I (Beginner Japanese)

This grammar point is explained in Genki I (Lesson 2), a widely used beginner textbook for learning Japanese.

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※Genki is available worldwide on Amazon. If the link does not work in your country, you can also search “Genki I” on your local Amazon.