Japanese Demonstrative Pronouns Made Simple For Beginners
Demonstrative Pronouns take the place of a noun.
Demonstrative pronouns are used the same way as in other languages, but in Japanese there are some rules that you need to remember.
IMPORTANT: When you want to form a question, you have to use do- (ใฉ). For example:
"hon wa doko desuka" (Where is the book?)
Pronouns for animals and things
There are some pronouns that can replace a noun, but you only can use them when you talk about animals or things.
See the table below.
English | Japanese | Romaji |
---|---|---|
This one | ใใ | kore |
That one | ใใ | sore |
That one (far) | ใใ | are |
Which one | ใฉใ | dore |
EXAMPLES:
This is my book.
ใ ใ ใฏ ็ง ใฎ ๆฌ ใง ใ
Kore wa watashi no hon desu
That is your car
ใ ใ ใฏ ใ ใช ใ ใฎ ่ช ๅ ่ป ใง ใ
Are wa anata no jidลsha desu
Pronouns for people
You can use these pronouns to talk about people.
If you use these pronouns, you must use it before the noun that you're talking about. These pronouns are in the table below.
English | Japanese | Romaji |
---|---|---|
This | ใใฎ | kono |
That | ใใฎ | sono |
That (far) | ใใฎ | ano |
Which | ใฉใฎ | dono |
EXAMPLES:
That bag is yours.
ใ ใฎ ใ ใฐ ใ ใฏ ใ ใช ใ ใฎ ใง ใ
Sono kaban wa anata no desu
This car is green.
ใ ใฎ ่ช ๅ ่ป ใฏ ็ท ใง ใ
Kono jidลsha wa midori desu. Notice that kono is before the noun jidลsha.
Pronouns for places
You can use these pronouns to talk about a specific place.
See the table below.
English | Japanese | Romaji |
---|---|---|
Here | ใใ | koko |
There | ใใ | soko |
Over there | ใใใ | asoko |
Where | ใฉใ | doko |
EXAMPLES:
Your mother are here.
ใ ใช ใ ใฎ ใ ๆฏ ใ ใ ใฏ ใ ใ ใซ ใ ใ
Anata no okasan wa koko ni iru
Where is your house?
ใ ใช ใ ใฎ ๅฎถ ใฏ ใฉ ใ ใง ใ ใ
Anata no ie wa dokodesu ka