N5 · Lesson 2
This, that, and where things are
これ・それ・あれ / ここ・そこ・あそこ
In this lesson, you will learn to point at something and ask what it is, ask where something is, and say where it is. You will also meet the idea that Japanese has three words where English has 'this' and 'that', depending on who is standing near the thing.
By the end you will be able to say
それは 何ですか。What is that (by you)?
この 本は おもしろいです。This book is interesting.
トイレは どこですか。Where is the toilet?
かばんは いすの 上に あります。The bag is on the chair.
たなかさんは きょうしつに います。Tanaka is in the classroom.
The grammar in this lesson
- これ・それ・あれ — three distances — Japanese has a word for 'this', one for 'that' near you, and one for 'that' over there.
- この・その・あの + noun — This form always needs a noun after it, as in 'this book'.
- ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ — places — Places have their own words for here, there and over there, and there is one for 'where'.
- 〜に あります／います — something is somewhere — This is how you say where something is, and people and animals take a different verb from things.