この・その・あの・どの
This ___, that ___, which ___
You’ll be able to attach demonstratives directly to nouns to specify exactly which item you mean.
そのかばんは私のです。
sono kaban wa watashi no desu.
What do you think this sentence means?
That bag is mine.
Point to a specific noun
Use この, その, and あの directly before a noun to mean “this…,” “that…,” or “that…over there.” Use どの to ask “which…?”
この本は面白いです。
kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
This book is interesting.
Always follow with a noun
Unlike これ・それ・あれ・どれ, these words cannot stand alone. A noun comes immediately after them.
この本は面白いです。
kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
This book is interesting.
その店は安いです。
sono mise wa yasui desu.
That shop is inexpensive.
あの人は先生です。
ano hito wa sensei desu.
That person over there is a teacher.
どの電車ですか。
dono densha desu ka.
Which train is it?
これ vs この
これ is a word on its own. この cannot stand alone — it always has a noun after it.
この, this ___
この本は面白いです。
kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
This book is interesting.
この is followed by the noun it points at.
これ, this one
これは本です。
kore wa hon desu.
This is a book.
これ is the noun itself, so は comes straight after.
この本は英語の教科書です。
kono hon wa eigo no kyoukasho desu.
This book is an English textbook.
その人は田中さんです。
sono hito wa tanaka-san desu.
That person is Tanaka.
あの店はコンビニです。
ano mise wa konbini desu.
That store over there is a convenience store.
14 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.