Kore/Sore/Are/Dore – equivalent to the demonstrative pronouns in English, but actually nouns in Japanese
Kono/Sono/Ano/Dono – equivalent to the demonstrative adjectives in English, parts of speech that are attached to the noun (nominal adjectives) in Japanese
これ/ Kore / This (close to the speaker)
この/ Kono / This (close to the speaker)
それ/ Sore / That (close to the listener)
その/ Sono / That (close to the listener)
あれ/ Are / That (over there) (far from both)
あの/ Ano / That (over there) (far from both)
どれ/ Dore / Which ? (interrogative)
どの/ Dono / Which one? (interrogative)
Examples:
そのひと Sono Hito / This man/He
それは ラジオです Sore wa rajio desu / This is a radio.
これは とけい です Kore wa tokei desu / This is a watch.
あれは かばん です Are wa kaban desu / That is a schoolbag.
Particles:
• も mo – particle indicating a similar situation, it can be translated as “too” (adverb)
Ex: マリアさん も ルーマニアじん です
Maria san mo Rumania jin desu
Mary is Romanian too.
• の no – particle indicating the genitive case : A の B - A belongs to/comes from B
Ex: やまださん は にほんご の せんせい です
Yamada san wa nihongo no sensei desu
Yamada san is a Japanese teacher.
The negative
- It is formed using the construction では ありません / Dewa arimasen.
A はB では ありません - A wa B dewa arimasen - As to A, it is not B.
Ex: きむらさんは フランスじん では ありません / Kimura san wa furansujin dewa arimasen / Kimura san is not French.