This, that, over there

Goals

By the end of this part, you can…

Point at something and say what it is
Ask what something is (なんですか)
Ask where something is (どこですか)

A conversation you can have in Japanese

YouWhat is this?

TanakaThat is a watch.

YouAnd that one over there?

TanakaThat is a bag.

In this part

Warm-up — vocabulary

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Grammar 1

これ, それ and あれ are the thing itself — this one, that one, that one over there. Before a noun they change shape: このほん, そのほん, あのほん. The distance is from the speaker: これ is by me, それ is by you, あれ is away from both of us.

Builds onSaying what something is (X は Y です)

1See how it works

Pattern

this oneこれkore /that oneそれsore /that one over thereあれarethis / that / that over there

Three distances, three setsこ- is near me, そ- is near you, あ- is away from us both, ど- is the question.

this oneこれkore(topic)はwabookほんhon(polite)ですdesuThis is a book.that oneそれsore はwanotebookノートnooto ですdesuThat is a notebook.that one over thereあれare はwawatchとけいtokei ですdesuThat over there is a watch.

2Build the pieceこれ → この + noun

e.g.これkoreですdesuit is this one→このkonoかばんkabanですdesuit is this bag

1それsoreですdesuit is that one→そのsonoほんhonですdesuit is that book2あれareですdesuit is that one over there→あのanoとけいtokeiですdesuit is that watch3どれdoreですかdesu kawhich one is it?→どのdonoペンpenですかdesu kawhich pen is it?

3Say it in Japanese

Is this a pen? これkore はwa ペンpen ですかdesu ka。What is that? それsore はwa なんnan ですかdesu ka。Where is the company? かいしゃkaisha はwa どこdoko ですかdesu ka。

Summary

This part at a glance

Grammar 1

This, that, over there

これkore / それsore / あれare

これkore はwa ほんhon ですdesuThis is a book.

Drill — fill in the blank

Choose the right word

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1. This is a book. はwaほんhonですdesu。これkore2. This bag is the company's. かばんkabanはwaかいしゃkaishaのnoかばんkabanですdesu。このkono3. Where is the company?かいしゃkaishaはwa ですかdesu ka。どこdoko

Drill — translate

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1. This is a book.これkoreはwaほんhonですdesu。2. What is that?それsoreはwaなんnanですかdesu ka。3. Where is the company?かいしゃkaishaはwaどこdokoですかdesu ka。

Reading — read it aloud

トイレはどこですか

Ms. Suzuki's first week. Mr. Tanaka shows her around the office.

すずきあのうanou、トイレtoireはwaどこdokoですかdesu ka。トイレ = restroom

たなかあそこasokoですdesu。

すずきあそこasokoですかdesu ka。

たなかはいhai。かいぎkaigiはwaここkokoですdesu。かいぎ = meeting

すずきここkokoですかdesu ka。

たなかはいhai。それからsorekara、これkoreはwaすずきさんsuzukisanのnoパソコンpasokonですdesu。それから = and alsoすずきさんのパソコン = your computer (の = 's)

すずきこれkoreですかdesu ka。ありがとうarigatouございgozaiますmasu。ありがとうございます = Thank you.

たなかいいえiie。いいえ = Not at all.

Reading — questions

Answer in Japanese

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1. トイレtoireはwaどこdokoですかdesu ka。トイレ = restroomあそこasokoですdesu。2. かいぎkaigiはwaどこdokoですかdesu ka。かいぎ = meetingここkokoですdesu。3. トイレtoireはwaここkokoですかdesu ka。いいえiie、あそこasokoですdesu。

Part 2 →Also

By the end of this part, you can…

Say it in Japanese