Japanese Demonstratives: Using Kore, Kono, Sore, Sono, Are, Ano for People and Things
Learn the difference between kore and kono, and use kore, sore, are, kono, sono, ano to point out things near and far. Includes polite questions for staff.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Use これは私のです。 to say 'This is mine,' or put a noun after この, as in この傘はいくらですか。 ('How much is this umbrella?'). The difference is grammatical: これ can stand alone, while この belongs before a noun. The same contrast applies to それ／その and あれ／あの. These recordings let you practise ownership and prices, then notice how a customer and staff member describe the same book from different positions. Start with the complete recorded lines before changing the nouns.
By the end, you can…
- use kore, sore, and are to stand alone and refer to things near me, near you, and far from both of us.
- use kono, sono, and ano before a noun to specify which object or person I mean.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
これは私のです。
This is mine.
Kore wa watashi no desu.
Use kore when the object is close to you. Watashi no desu means 'it is mine.'
その本はあなたのですか。
Is that book yours?
Sono hon wa anata no desu ka.
Sono must be followed by a noun, here hon (book). Anata no desu ka asks 'is it yours?' politely.
あれは何ですか。
What is that over there?
Are wa nan desu ka.
Are refers to something far from both speaker and listener. Nan desu ka means 'what is it?'
この傘はいくらですか。
How much is this umbrella?
Kono kasa wa ikura desu ka.
Kono + noun (kasa, umbrella). Use this to ask about a specific item near you. Ikura desu ka asks the price.
あの人は誰ですか。
Who is that person over there?
Ano hito wa dare desu ka.
Ano + noun (hito, person). Use for a person far from both of you. Dare desu ka means 'who is it?'
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
A word on its own or a word before a noun
In これは私のです。, これ stands on its own and 私のです says 'it is mine.' In この傘はいくらですか。, この modifies 傘 ('umbrella'). Use その before a noun too: その本はあなたのですか。 asks whether that book is yours. あれは何ですか。 uses あれ on its own to ask what something over there is. For a person, あの人は誰ですか。 uses あの before 人. Keep the recorded question and its meaning together rather than putting これ directly before a noun.
Whose position are you using?
For the facing-speaker situation in this conversation, こ- describes something near the current speaker, そ- something near the listener, and あ- something away from both. A asks すみません、この本はいくらですか。 about a book close to A. B replies それは千円です。 about the same book, now near B's listener. The book need not move when the speaker changes. This is a useful starting pattern rather than a rule for every context: when both people share the same area, their view of what is near or farther away can affect the choice.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、この本はいくらですか。
Excuse me, how much is this book?Sumimasen, kono hon wa ikura desu ka.それは千円です。
That one is one thousand yen.Sore wa sen en desu.あれも千円ですか。
Is that one over there also one thousand yen?Are mo sen en desu ka.いいえ、あれは千五百円です。
No, that one over there is one thousand five hundred yen.Iie, are wa sen gohyaku en desu.A little context goes a long way
Focus on the two speakers' viewpoint in the recorded shop exchange. The customer says この本 and the staff member answers with それ, both referring to the same book. These examples teach grammatical reference and a price question; they do not set a rule about store policies or how to gesture at people.
One thing to watch for
Using kore directly before a noun, as in *kore hon*.
Try this instead: Kore cannot modify a noun. Use kono instead: kono hon (this book). For example, say Kono hon wa watashi no desu (This book is mine), not *Kore hon wa watashi no desu*.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1An object is close to you and belongs to you. Say 'This is mine' using the complete recorded phrase.
Show a sample answer
これは私のです。
これ stands alone here. 私のです supplies the meaning 'it is mine.' Compare with the first phrase recording.
2A book is near the listener. Ask whether that book belongs to them using the recorded question.
Show a sample answer
その本はあなたのですか。
その modifies 本 because you name the book. The question asks about ownership, not the price.
3Listen to the final two shop turns. A asks whether the item over there is also 1,000 yen. Repeat B's complete reply and check the actual price.
Show a sample answer
いいえ、あれは千五百円です。
B says no and gives 1,500 yen for the item over there. あれ refers to that item away from both speakers; it is separate from the first book priced at 1,000 yen.
Practise the complete recordings: これ can stand alone, while この needs a following noun. The same contrast applies to それ／その and あれ／あの. Check the current speaker's viewpoint, then use the recorded ownership or price question and its matching answer.
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