Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
If you’ve ever wanted to say “this,” “that,” or “which one?” in Japanese, then this is the lesson for you! In Japanese, these words are called こそあど言葉 (ko-so-a-do words) — short demonstrative pronouns that point to things based on distance.
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to use これ・それ・あれ・どれ correctly
✔ The difference between “this” and “that” in Japanese
✔ Example sentences and common expressions
✔ Bonus tips to sound more natural in conversation
Let’s dive into the world of “this” and “that” — Japanese style!
1. What Are これ・それ・あれ・どれ?
These are Japanese demonstrative pronouns used to refer to things (objects). You use them depending on how close the object is to the speaker or listener.
| Word | Meaning | Used when… |
|---|---|---|
| これ (kore) | this | The object is near you (the speaker) |
| それ (sore) | that | The object is near the listener |
| あれ (are) | that (over there) | The object is far from both |
| どれ (dore) | which | Used to ask “which one?” among 3+ choices |
2. Basic Sentence Examples
Here are some common ways to use these words:
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| これ は わたし の スマホ です。 | Kore wa watashi no sumaho desu. | This is my smartphone. |
| あれ は としょかん です。 | Are wa toshokan desu. | That is a library. |
| どれ が ケンさん の かさ ですか？ | Dore ga Ken-san no kasa desu ka? | Which one is Ken’s umbrella? |
| それ は せんせい の スマホ です。 | Sore wa sensei no sumaho desu. | That is the teacher’s smartphone. |
3. How to Ask “Which One?” in Japanese
To ask a question like “Which one is yours?”, use:
- どれ が ___ の ___ ですか？
Example:
どれ が ゆいさん の ぼうし ですか？
→ Which one is Yui’s hat?
Grammar Tip
Questions words like どれ cannot be followed by the topic particle は because an unknown object cannot be a topic.
Example: Which one is Mr. Yamada’s book?
- Incorrect: どれは山田さんの本ですか。
- Correct: どれが山田さんの本ですか。
For a detailed explanation of the difference between particles が (ga) and は (wa), please refer to this article.
Japanese Particles: How to Distinguish Between wa (は) and ga (が)
4. Practice Examples
Translate the following into Japanese using これ・それ・あれ・どれ:
“This is my umbrella.”
→ これ は わたし の かさ です。
“Which one is your hat, Yui?”
→ どれ が ゆいさん の ぼうし ですか。
“That is my mother’s book.”
→ あれ は わたし の おかあさん の ほん です。
“Is this Takeshi’s pen?”
→ これ は たけしさん の ペン ですか？
“No, that is Meg’s pen.”
→ いいえ、それ は メグさん の ペン です。
“How much is this?”
→ これ は いくら ですか？
“That is 2,000 yen.”
→ それ は にせんえん です。
5. Bonus Tip: Perceptual Distance in Japanese
Japanese doesn’t just care about physical distance — it also considers perceptual distance.
- You can say あれ は きょねん の クリスマス でした。
→ “That was last Christmas.”
Even though Christmas is not physically “over there,” it’s far in time. - Or:
まんが？それ は なん ですか？
→ “Manga? What is that?”
Here, それ refers to something familiar to the listener, but not the speaker.
6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- QCan I use これ・それ・あれ before a noun?
- A
No! These are pronouns and must stand alone. Use:
- この ペン = this pen
- その ペン = that pen
- あの ペン = that pen (over there)
- どの ペン = which pen?
- QWhat’s the difference between これ and この?
- A
- これ = this (pronoun)
- この + Noun (works like an adjective, cannot stand on its own)
- QI learned that これ (kore), それ (sore), and あれ (are) are for things. Can I use them to refer to people?
- A
As a general rule, これ (kore), それ (sore), あれ (are), and どれ (dore) are used for inanimate objects, not people. However, there are a couple of common exceptions where it is natural to use これ (kore):
- Introducing Close Family: When you are introducing a close family member to someone else, often while gesturing towards them. Example: これが私の妻です。 (Kore ga watashi no tsuma desu.) – “This is my wife.”
- Identifying People in a Photo: When you are pointing to a specific person in a photograph. Example: これが私の主人です。 (Kore ga watashi no shujin desu.) – “This is my husband.”
7. Review: Distance Chart
| Japanese | English | Proximity |
|---|---|---|
| これ | This | Close to you |
| それ | That | Close to the person you’re talking to |
| あれ | That over there | Far from both people |
| どれ | Which | Use when asking |
8. Conclusion: Point with Confidence in Japanese!
Now you can talk about things around you like a native using これ・それ・あれ・どれ. These are tiny words, but they’re used all the time in daily Japanese — from shopping to chatting to giving directions.
Example for daily use:
- “これ、ください。” (This one, please.)
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