Beginner (4) こそあど言葉 (ko so a do words)

Please watch “Homework club video” below to practice what we have learned.

今日からレッスンが始まりますよ!
The lesson starts today!

みなさん、ひらがなは覚えましたか?覚えていない人は、覚えてくださいね。ウエブサイトにひらがなビデオのリンクがあります。
Have you all memorized Hiragana? Those who have not, please do so. You can find links to my hiragana videos on my website.

Beginner Lessons

ひらがなを覚えた人は、カタカナも覚えましょう。
To those of you who have memorized hiragana, let’s learn katakana as well.

ところで、今話していることは、まだわからないと思いますが、わかるようになるまで頑張りましょう!
By the way, you may not understanding what I am saying now, but let’s study hard so that we can understand!

それでは今日は、「こそあど言葉」を勉強します。
So today, let’s learn “ko-so-a-do words”!

We are learning “こそあど言葉 (ko so a do words)”, which are “demonstrative pronouns”.

Demonstrative pronouns can be either near or far in distance or time:
1. Near in time or distance: this
2. Far in time or distance: that

The Concept of こそあど words

(1) This – これ
The thing is close to the speaker.

(2) In Japanese, as well as other languages, there are two different words for “that”.
それ is usually near the listener and far from the speaker.
あれ is usually far from both the speaker and listener, or very far in general.

Japanese has three tiers, while most speakers of English use two.
English: This, that
Japanese: This, that, “that over yonder”

こそあど + れ, の, or こ

(1)With ”れ” ー これ・それ・あれ・どれ
This/ that /that over yonder/ which (question word)

This is a pen.
これ は ぺん です。

That is a pen.
それ は ぺん です。(The pen is close to the person you are talking to).

That one over there is a pen
あれ は ぺん です。(The pen is neither close to the speaker nor the listener.

Which one is a pen?
どれ が ぺん ですか? (Particle become が in this case).

*In Japanese, we don’t say “これ (this)” about people. For example, we don’t say “This is my teacher, Ms Hanako” as “これは わたしのせんせい、はなこです”.
It’s rude to say これ about people. We say, “こちら” instead, as in “こちらは わたしのせんせい、はなこさんです”.
We say, “こちら そちら あちら どちら” in this case.
In casual Japanese, we don’t say “こちら” for people, instead, we say, “かのじょは (She is)” or “かれは(He is)”. However, old-fashioned Japanese husbands may call their wife, “これ”, as in “これは わたし の つま です”. In Japan, men used to be of higher status than women. In modern times, this has changed, so watch out if you try to call your wife “これ”.

(2)With ”の” ー この・その・あの・どの ([noun] の [noun] / possession)
“の” is a particle that connects two nouns to show possession. (We learned this in Lesson (3).)

This ~ / that ~/ that ~ over there/ which ~

This pen is cute.
このペン は かわいい。

That pen is cute.
そのペン は かわいい。

That pen over there is cute.
あのペン は かわいい。

Which pen is cute?
どのペン が かわいい?

(3)With ”こ” ー Place, spot or location

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

The pen is here.
ペン は ここ です。

The pen is there.
ペン は そこ です。

The pen is over there.
ペン は あそこ です。

Where is the pen?
ペン は どこ ですか?

(4)There are more こそあど words you will want to memorize later.

  • kou, sou, aa, dou こう、そう、ああ、どう
    Manner of action
  • konna, sonna, anna, donna こんな、そんな、あんな、どんな
    Likeliness (descriptive)
  • koitsu, soitsu, aitsu, doitsu こいつ、そいつ、あいつ、どいつ
    Individual person, individual thing, or individual item
  •  kochira, sochira, achira, dochira, こちら、そちら、あちら、どちら
    Side or direction (formal)
  • kocchi, socchi, acchi, docchi こっち、そっち、あっち、どっち
    Side or direction (casual)

Let’s practice!
練習(れんしゅう)しましょう!

How do you say these in Japanese?

(1) This is my cell phone.

これは わたしの けいたい です。

(2) That is my cell phone.

それは わたしの けいたい です。

(3) That over there is my cell phone.

あれは わたしの けいたい です。

(4) Which one is my cell phone?

どれが わたしの けいたい ですか?

(5) This book is mine.

この本(ほん)は わたしの です。

(6) That book is mine.

その本(ほん) は わたしの です。

(7) That book over there is mine.

あの本(ほん)は わたしの です。

(8) Which book is mine?

どの本(ほん)が わたしの ですか?

(9) My dog is here.

わたしの 犬(いぬ)は ここ です。

(10) My dog is there.

わたしの 犬(いぬ)は そこ です。

(11) My dog is over there.

わたしの 犬(いぬ)は あそこ です。

(12) Where is my dog?

わたしの 犬(いぬ)は どこ ですか?

はい、きょう は いじょう です。
Well, that’s it for today.

おつかれさまでした!
Good job!

おぼえるまで、なんかいも このビデオ を みてくださいね!
Please watch and rewatch this video until you have memorized the material!

それでは また らいしゅう!
See you next week!