This Noun, That Noun
この, その, and あの go right before a noun: この本 (this book), その人 (that person). Unlike これ・それ・あれ, they can't stand alone. Our lesson on talking about yourself uses この/その/あの in real conversations.
Distance Chart
| Word | Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| この | Near speaker | この本 (this book) |
| その | Near listener | その本 (that book) |
| あの | Far from both | あの本 (that book over there) |
| どの | Question | どの本？ (which book?) |
この vs これ
- これ/それ/あれ: stand alone ("this one," "that one")
- この/その/あの: need a noun after them ("this book," "that person")
| Standalone | + Noun |
|---|---|
| これはいい。(This is good.) | この本はいい。(This book is good.) |
| それをください。(Give me that.) | その傘をください。(Give me that umbrella.) |
どの (Which ~?)
どの asks "which ~?" When どの + noun is the subject, use が:
- どのお菓子が一番おいしいですか。
Which sweet is the tastiest?
あの for Shared Knowledge
あの is also used when both people know what's being talked about, even if it's not physically visible:
あの映画、見た？ (Did you see that movie? — one you both know about)