これ・それ・あれ: pointing to things

The idea

When speaker and listener are apart, これ points near the speaker, それ near the listener, and あれ away from both. The question word どれ asks which one. These words stand on their own in place of a noun: これは本です means “This is a book.” They can take particles such as は and が.

Examples

• これは私わたしのかばんです。This is my bag.
• それは何なんですか。What is that?
• あれは駅えきです。That over there is the station.
• これは日本語にほんごの本ほんです。This is a book in Japanese.
• それは先生せんせいのペンです。That is the teacher’s pen.
• あれは古ふるい建物たてものです。That over there is an old building.

Watch out

Do not put a noun directly after これ, それ or あれ. Use この本, その本 or あの本 when a noun follows; context can shift the spatial perspective.

Try it yourself

1. The object is near the speaker. Choose the demonstrative. 話はなす人ひとの近ちかく：＿＿は本ほんです。（これ／それ／あれ）

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   これ

   これ — When speaker and listener are apart, これ points near the speaker, それ near the listener, and あれ away from both. The question word どれ asks which one.

2. The object is near the listener. Choose the demonstrative. 聞きく人ひとの近ちかく：＿＿は本ほんです。（これ／それ／あれ）

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   それ

   それ — When speaker and listener are apart, これ points near the speaker, それ near the listener, and あれ away from both. The question word どれ asks which one.

3. The object is far from both people. Choose the demonstrative. 二人ふたりから遠とおく：＿＿は本ほんです。（これ／それ／あれ）

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   あれ

   あれ — When speaker and listener are apart, これ points near the speaker, それ near the listener, and あれ away from both. The question word どれ asks which one.

Use it today

Cover the examples. Make two new sentences using the pattern, then check them against the table.