G05 · これ, それ, あれ, どれ

Before you start

The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• G01build sentences with は and です
• G02ask and answer
• G03say what something is not
• G04say whose something is

What you learn

これ／それ／あれ／どれ・なんですか

• あれthat (over there)
• どれwhich one?
• なんwhat?

これ is near the speaker, それ near the listener and あれ far from both. どれ asks «which one?» and なん «what?» (before です).

• あれは がっこうです。are wa gakkou desu.That over there is a school.
• それは なんですか。sore wa nan desu ka.What is that?
• あれは なんですか。are wa nan desu ka.What is that over there?
• かさは どれですか。kasa wa dore desu ka.Which one is the umbrella?
• わたしの かばんは どれですか。watashi no kaban wa dore desu ka.Which one is my bag?
• これは なんですか。kore wa nan desu ka.What is this?

Practice

A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.