In English, "this" and "that" are all you need. Japanese takes pointing at things to a whole new level — not only do you distinguish between "this / that (near you) / that (over there) / which," but there are also two separate series with completely different grammar rules. Don't worry though — the rules are actually quite simple.
The Four-Distance System: コ・ソ・ア・ド
Japanese demonstratives are divided into four groups based on distance:
| Series | Distance | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| コ (ko) | Near the speaker | this |
| ソ (so) | Near the listener | that (near you) |
| ア (a) | Far from both | that (over there) |
| ド (do) | Unknown → question | which |
Imagine you and a friend standing face to face:
- Something is near you → use the コ series
- Something is near your friend → use the ソ series
- Something is far away from both of you → use the ア series
- You don't know where it is → use the ド series to ask
Two Series: これ vs この
Once you've got the distance sorted, here's the most important distinction: the これ series and the この series follow completely different rules.
これ・それ・あれ・どれ: Stand-alone use
This set directly refers to things and cannot be followed by a noun. They can only be followed by particles or です.
これ + は / も / です …
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| これは本です。 | This is a book. |
| それは私のです。 | That is mine. |
| あれは何ですか。 | What is that (over there)? |
| どれですか。 | Which one is it? |
この・その・あの・どの: Must be followed by a noun
This set must be immediately followed by a noun, like English "this book," "that dog," "which one."
この + noun
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| この本は私のです。 | This book is mine. |
| その辞書は山田さんのです。 | That dictionary is Yamada's. |
| あの犬は大きいです。 | That dog (over there) is big. |
| どの鍵ですか。 | Which key is it? |
The Core Rule in One Table
| Stand-alone (+ particle/です) | Before a noun | |
|---|---|---|
| Near (this) | これ | この + noun |
| Middle (that) | それ | その + noun |
| Far (that) | あれ | あの + noun |
| Question (which) | どれ | どの + noun |
Memory trick: Ends in れ = stands alone; ends in の = needs a noun.
Common Mistakes
Many beginners make this error:
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| この本 | これ cannot directly precede a noun | |
| これです | この must be followed by a noun |
Here are three sentences to feel the difference when saying "this book is mine":
- この本は私のです。 → This book is mine. (この + 本)
- これは私の本です。 → This is my book. (これ + は)
- 先生の本はこれです。 → The teacher's book is this one. (これ + です)
All three mean roughly the same thing, but notice how これ/この are placed differently depending on what follows them.
あの人 vs あの方
When referring to someone in the distance, both あの人 (あのひと) and あの方 (あのかた) work:
| Japanese | Register | English |
|---|---|---|
| あの人は誰ですか。 | Casual | Who is that person? |
| あの方はどなたですか。 | Polite | Who is that person? (formal) |
方 (かた) is the polite form of 人 (ひと). Use あの方 in formal situations or when speaking about someone senior.
を + お願いします: Making requests with demonstratives
Once you know demonstratives, combining them with request phrases lets you order food, ask for things, and more:
これをお願いします。 → This one, please.
The particle を marks "the thing you want," and お願いします means "please / I'd like":
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 503室の鍵をお願いします。 | Room 503's key, please. |
| このノートをお願いします。 | This notebook, please. |
Summary
- これ/それ/あれ/どれ: Stand-alone use, followed by particles or です — cannot directly precede a noun
- この/その/あの/どの: Must be immediately followed by a noun — cannot stand alone
- Four distances: コ (near me), ソ (near you), ア (far away), ド (which → question)
- 方 (かた) is the polite version of 人 (ひと)
- ~をお願いします is a universal request phrase — combine it with demonstratives for shopping and hotel situations
Practice
Q1. How do you say "This book is mine" in Japanese? (Hint: "book" is a noun that follows the demonstrative)
Show Answer
この本は私のです。
Since "book" is a noun, use この (not これ). この本 (this book) + は + 私の (mine) + です.
Q2. Which sentence is correct? A. これ本は私のです。 B. これは私の本です。
Show Answer
B is correct.
A is wrong — これ cannot directly precede the noun 本. To say "this book," you need この本. In sentence B, これ is followed by the particle は, so it's grammatically fine.
Q3. At a hotel, how do you ask for the key to room 503?
Show Answer
503室の鍵をお願いします。
503室の鍵 (room 503's key) + を (marks the requested object) + お願いします (please).