Grammar Notes: Lesson 2
Demonstratives 1: これ, それ, あれ
This lesson introduces demonstrative pronouns for things.
これ / それ / あれ
Description
これ, それ, and あれ are demonstrative pronouns. They are used independently and are not attached to nouns.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これ | kore | an object near the speaker; this |
| それ | sore | an object near the listener; that |
| あれ | are | an object far from both speaker and listener; that over there |
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これはノートです。 | Kore wa nōto desu. | This is a notebook. |
Usage Notes
- これ, それ, and あれ act as nouns by themselves.
- Do not attach them directly to nouns.
この [Noun] / その [Noun] / あの [Noun]
Description
この, その, and あの are used before nouns.
この車 acts as one noun phrase meaning "this car." これ acts as a noun by itself, meaning "this thing."
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| この車は日本製です。 | Kono kuruma wa Nihon-sei desu. | This car is made in Japan. |
| この車 | kono kuruma | this car |
| その車 | sono kuruma | that car |
| あの車 | ano kuruma | that car over there |
Usage Notes
- Correct: この車は日本製です。
- Incorrect: これ車は日本製です。
- この, その, and あの must be followed by a noun.
そうです / そうじゃありません
Description
そうです means "That is right." そうじゃありません means "That is not right."
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| それは辞書ですか。 | Sore wa jisho desu ka. | Is that a dictionary? |
| はい、そうです。 | Hai, sō desu. | Yes, it is. |
| それはミラーさんのですか。 | Sore wa Mirā-san no desu ka. | Is that Mr. Miller's? |
| いいえ、そうじゃありません。 | Iie, sō ja arimasen. | No, it is not. |
| いいえ、違います。 | Iie, chigaimasu. | No, it is different. |
| それはシャープペンですか。 | Sore wa shāpu pen desu ka. | Is that a mechanical pencil? |
| いいえ、ボールペンです。 | Iie, bōrupen desu. | No, it is a ballpoint pen. |
Usage Notes
- そうです is used to confirm that a statement is correct.
- いいえ、違います has a similar meaning to いいえ、そうじゃありません in this context.
～か、～か
Description
Use ～か、～か to ask an "A or B?" question.
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これは「9」ですか、「7」ですか。 | Kore wa "kyū" desu ka, "nana" desu ka. | Is this a 9 or a 7? |
| 「9」です。 | "Kyū" desu. | It is 9. |
Usage Notes
- Answer with the correct option, not with はい or いいえ.
[Noun A] の [Noun B]
Description
の connects two nouns. It can show possession or describe the relationship between nouns.
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| それはわたしの本です。 | Sore wa watashi no hon desu. | That is my book. |
| それはだれの本ですか。 | Sore wa dare no hon desu ka. | Whose book is that? |
| それはだれのですか。 | Sore wa dare no desu ka. | Whose is that? |
Usage Notes
- When the second noun is understood from context, it can be omitted after の.
そうですか
Description
そうですか is used when hearing new information to indicate understanding. It can mean "I see" or "Is that so?"
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| この傘はあなたのですか。 | Kono kasa wa anata no desu ka. | Is this umbrella yours? |
| いいえ、違います。リンさんのです。 | Iie, chigaimasu. Rin-san no desu. | No, it's not. It's Lin's. |
| そうですか。 | Sō desu ka. | I see. |
Usage Notes
- With falling intonation, そうですか often means "I see."
- With rising intonation, it can sound like a question.
なん
Description
なん means "what."
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これはなんですか。 | Kore wa nan desu ka. | What is this? |
| ボールペンです。 | Bōrupen desu. | It's a ballpoint pen. |
Usage Notes
- なん is used before ですか to ask what something is.
なんの [Noun]
Description
なんの [Noun] is used when asking about the content or category of a noun.
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これはなんのカタログですか。 | Kore wa nan no katarogu desu ka. | What kind of catalog is this? |
| コンピューターのカタログです。 | Konpyūtā no katarogu desu. | It's a computer catalog. |
Usage Notes
- なんの must be followed by a noun.
- It asks what kind or category something belongs to.
だれ
Description
だれ means "who."
Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| あの人はだれですか。 | Ano hito wa dare desu ka. | Who is that person? |
Usage Notes
- だれ is used to ask about a person.