JLPT N5 grammar · The Absolute Basics
これ/それ/あれ/どれ: meaning, usage and examples
これ/それ/あれ/どれ means: This, that, that one over there, which.
How to form it
これ / それ / あれ / どれ (standalone pronoun)
Examples
これはいくらですか。
How much is this?
どれがあなたのペンですか。
Which one is your pen?
それは私の傘です。
That is my umbrella.
あれは富士山ですか。
Is that Mt. Fuji over there?
When to use it
Use when referring to things without naming them. これ = this one (near me), それ = that one (near you), あれ = that one over there.
Nuance
These replace nouns entirely. When modifying a noun, use この/その/あの/どの instead.
Compare
この本 = 'this book' (修飾). これは本です = 'this is a book' (pronoun).
Tip: どれ is used when choosing among 3+ items. どちら (which of two) is more polite.
More in The Absolute Basics
- ~です: to be/ it is (polite)
- ~じゃありません: to not be / it is not (polite)
- ~ですか: (indicates question: sentence end)
- はい/いいえ: yes/no
- そうです: (answer) it is/that's right
- こ/そ/あ/ど (demonstrative prefixes): こ: Something near to the speaker; そ: Something near to the listener; あ: Something far away from both speaker and listener; ど: Something the speaker doesn't see or know about.
- この/その/あの/どの [Noun]: this/that/that (over there)/which [Noun]
- ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ: Here, there, over there, where
Frequently asked questions
What does これ/それ/あれ/どれ mean?
This, that, that one over there, which. Example: これはいくらですか。 (How much is this?)
How do you form これ/それ/あれ/どれ?
これ / それ / あれ / どれ (standalone pronoun). どれ is used when choosing among 3+ items. どちら (which of two) is more polite.