こ・
Japanese pointing words come in sets of four. こ is near you, そ is near the person you are talking to, あ is away from you both, and ど asks which.
あ: away from you both
That over there is Mount Fuji.
How the words are built
こ・そ・あ・ど + れ／の／こ／ちら／う
これ is a thing. この goes before a noun. ここ is a place. こちら is a direction, and the polite word. こう is a way of doing something.
| What it points at | こ・そ・あ | ど: asking |
|---|---|---|
| A thing | これ・ | どれ which one |
| Before a noun: this book, that person | この・ | どの which |
| A place | ここ・そこ・あ | どこ where |
| A direction; also the polite set | こちら・ | どちら, どっち which way; which of two |
| A way of doing something | こう・そう・ああ | どう how |
Two are irregular: あそこ (not あこ) and ああ (not あう).
The idea
English has two words, this and that. Japanese has three, because "that" splits in two: near the other person, or away from you both.
そ: near the other person
That one, there.
Is that umbrella Mr. Tanaka's?
あ: away from you both
That one, over there.
That building over there is a library.
ど: you are asking
Which one? Where? How?
Which train goes to Tokyo?
So one place has two names. What is そこ for you is ここ for the person standing there.
Is there a dictionary there by you?
Yes, there is one here.
Side by side, the two of you share one "here". Then そ is a short way off and あ is further.
in a taxi
Excuse me, please stop just there.
これ or この?
English "this" does two jobs: "this is mine" and "this umbrella is mine". Japanese has a word for each.
それ and その, あれ and あの, どれ and どの split the same way.
Not said: これ傘は
(This umbrella is mine.)
Pointing at people
これ, それ and あれ are for things. Said of a person who is standing there, they usually sound rude. People say この人 or あの人, and こちら to introduce someone.
Who is that person?
This is Yamada.
Sounds odd: これは
This is Yamada.
Fine for a photo of Yamada. Rude with Yamada standing there.
In conversation: そ and あ
The same words point at things in the talk, where nothing is near or far. それ and その pick up something that has just been said.
I watched a new movie yesterday.
Was that movie interesting?
I'm going to Kyoto with a friend this weekend.
That sounds nice.
あれ and あの are for something you both know already: a teacher you both had, a trip you took together.
Do you remember that teacher?
Do you remember last year's trip? That really was fun.
If only one of you knows it, people use そ, even for something they know well themselves. English says "that" both times, so あの is the slip to watch for.
There's a new bakery in front of the station. The bread at that shop is good.
The other person has never been there: その.
There used to be a little bakery in front of the school, remember? The bread from that shop was delicious.
You both remember it: あの.
Places: ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ
Where is the restroom?
It's over there, next to the entrance.
For the place you are in, English often says "this". Japanese says ここ.
This is the reception desk.
Excuse me, where am I?
Word for word, "where is here?".
こちら: this way, and the polite set
こちら・そちら・あちら point in a direction: this way, that way. They are also the polite words for a place, a thing or a person, so shop and hotel staff say them all day.
This way, please.
The restroom is over there.
どちら also asks which of two. With three or more things it is どれ.
Which would you like, coffee or tea?
Two to choose from.
Which of these three would you like?
Three or more.
With friends the set is こっち・そっち・あっち・どっち.
Come over here.
Which one do you want?
こう・そう・どう: like this, like that, how
どう asks how. こう goes with showing someone.
How do I fold this paper?
Watch. You fold it like this.
そう points back at what was just said or shown, which makes it the word for agreeing. These come up every day:
そうですかI see
I see. I didn't know that.
Said with a falling voice it is not a question.
どうしましたかwhat's the matter?
What's the matter?
What a doctor asks, or anyone who sees that something is wrong.
ああ is the rare one. It is about something you can both see or both remember.
I want to be like that too.
Said while you both watch someone you admire.
Close neighbours
"This kind of", "that kind of". どんな asks what kind, where どの asks which one.
What kind of movies do you like?
"Like this", "like that", before a noun. そういう picks up what someone has just described.
There aren't many people like that.
Joined to the stem of a verb or an adjective, そう is a different word: "looks", "seems about to".
This cake looks delicious.
After a whole plain sentence, そうだ passes on what you have heard.
I hear it will rain tomorrow.
Check yourself
1A friend looks at a bag and says this to you. Where is the bag?
そのかばん、
Choose an answer to see why.
2"This camera is new."
（ ）
Choose an answer to see why.
3A colleague tells you about a restaurant you have never heard of. You ask where it is.
（ ）
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
こちら for "me", そちら for "you"
On the phone and in business, こちら is "I" or "we" and そちら is "you". こちらこそ answers a thank-you or a greeting: "I should be the one saying that".
Nice to meet you too.
What time are you open until?
あれ？ and あのう
On its own, あれ？ is "huh?". あのう is "um", a soft way to get someone's attention.
Um, excuse me.
Linking words
Several everyday linking words are built on this set: それから (and then), それで (so), それでは (well then), これから (from now on).
More sentences
I'll choose this one.
Please show me that for a moment.
I ate lunch at that restaurant over there.
Which cake would you like from these three?
Let's meet here tomorrow.
Please write your name there.
Children are playing over there.
The exit is this way.
Which way is the station?
How do you open this box?
Please press the button this way.