JLPT N5–N4System guide

Furigana

これ・この・ここ・こう・こちら・こんな・こういう

Choosing Japanese reference words

Make two choices. First choose the relationship: こ for the speaker’s side, そ for the listener’s side or something just mentioned, あ for something distant or shared in memory, and ど when asking. Then choose what you need to refer to: a thing, a noun, a place, a direction, a manner, or a kind.

The complete grid

Swipe sideways to compare every column.

What you need	Speaker side	Listener side or just mentioned	Distant or shared	Question
A thing or matter standing alone	これ	それ	あれ	どれ
A specific noun	この	その	あの	どの
A place	ここ	そこ	あそこ	どこ
A direction, side, or careful reference	こちら	そちら	あちら	どちら
A manner or condition	こう	そう	ああ	どう
A kind or quality before a noun	こんな	そんな	あんな	どんな
An explained or classified kind before a noun	こういう	そういう	ああいう	どういう

Learn this as a grid rather than as dozens of unrelated words. The beginning chooses the relationship; the rest chooses the job.

Distance is only the starting point

In a face-to-face scene, the speaker’s area and the listener’s area often matter more than exact meters. The same location can therefore be そこ to one person and ここ to the person standing there. When both people share one viewpoint, the three rows can instead suggest near, middle, and far areas. Conversation creates a similar map: そ often picks up information the other person has just introduced, while あ can recall something both people already remember.

New information and shared memory

The middle and distant rows can organize knowledge, not just visible space.

新あたらしい喫きっ茶さ店てんを見みつけたんですか。その店みせは駅えきの近ちかくですか。

You found a new coffee shop? Is that shop near the station?

The shop has just been introduced, so the listener picks it up with the middle row.

学がっ校こうの前まえに小ちいさなパン屋やがあったね。あの店みせのパンはおいしかった。

There used to be a little bakery in front of the school, remember? The bread from that shop was delicious.

The distant row evokes a shop that both speakers remember.

A thing by itself or a named noun

You are choosing among several umbrellas.

This, that, that over there, whichこれ・それ・あれ・どれ

これは私わたしのです。

This one is mine.

This, that, or which + nounこの・その・あの・どの

この傘かさは私わたしのです。

This umbrella is mine.

This, that, that over there, whichこれ・それ・あれ・どれ

どれがあなたのですか。

Which one is yours?

This, that, or which + nounこの・その・あの・どの

どの傘かさがあなたのですか。

Which umbrella is yours?

Takeaway: これ・それ・あれ・どれ stand alone. この・その・あの・どの must be followed directly by the noun.

Ordinary place or careful direction

A staff member is showing a visitor where to go.

Here, there, over there, whereここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ

受うけ付つけはここです。

The reception desk is here.

Polite directions, places, sides, and referencesこちら・そちら・あちら・どちら

受うけ付つけはこちらです。

The reception desk is this way.

This is a careful, service-friendly way to indicate the place or direction.

Polite directions, places, sides, and referencesこちら・そちら・あちら・どちら

こちらが案あん内ない担たん当とうの森もりさんです。

This is Ms. Mori, who will be your guide.

Takeaway: ここ simply identifies a place. こちら points to a direction or side and can carefully indicate a place, person, organization, or choice. It is polite in tone, but it is not an honorific form by itself.

Doing it this way or describing this kind

An instructor demonstrates an easy method.

This way, that way, and howこう・そう・ああ・どう

ボタンをこう押おしてください。

Please press the button this way.

This, that, or what kind ofこんな・そんな・あんな・どんな

こんな方ほう法ほうなら簡かん単たんです。

A method like this would be easy.

This, that, or what kind ofこういう・そういう・ああいう・どういう

こういう方ほう法ほうは初しょ心しん者しゃにも分わかりやすいです。

This kind of method is easy for beginners to understand.

Takeaway: こう describes how an action is done or what a condition is like. こんな and こういう go directly before a noun and describe its kind.

Which one, where, how, or what kind?

どれ and どの ask you to identify a particular member of a known set. どこ asks for a place, and どう asks about a method, condition, or opinion. どんな and どういう ask for a description, type, or explanation rather than a choice from a list.

どの靴くつがいいですか。

Which pair of shoes would you like?

どんな靴くつがいいですか。

What kind of shoes would you like?

Register and everyday use

Most of this system is neutral and common in both conversation and writing. The direction series is especially useful in reception, shops, introductions, and business calls because it sounds careful. Match the rest of the sentence to that setting as well: choosing こちら cannot make an otherwise abrupt sentence polite.

More examples across the family

会かい議ぎは中ちゅう止しですか。それは残ざん念ねんです。

The meeting has been canceled? That is unfortunate.

昔むかしみんなで撮とったあの写しゃ真しんを覚おぼえていますか。

Do you remember that photograph we all took long ago?

次つぎの休きゅう憩けい場ば所しょはどこですか。

Where is the next rest stop?

この箱はこはどう開あけますか。

How do you open this box?

お客きゃく様さまのお席せきはそちらです。

Your seat is over there.

どんな部屋へやを探さがしていますか。

What kind of room are you looking for?

そういう意い見けんも大たい切せつだと思おもいます。

I think that kind of opinion is important too.

Choosing a particle for movementWhen a place or direction word is followed by a movement particle, this guide explains how to choose among endpoint, direction, and route marking.How the Japanese honorific system fits togetherCareful reference words are not honorific constructions by themselves; this guide explains how respectful, humble, and polite language fit together.