Meaning
Points to an object by its distance.
Formation
- これ near the speaker, それ near the listener, あれ away from both
- They stand instead of a noun: これは辞書です
When to use it
- Core use
- Points to an object by its distance
Examples
14 sentences-
これは辞書です
This is a dictionary.
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あれは山です
That over there is a mountain.
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これを母に送ります
I will send this to my mother.
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それはどこで買いましたか
Where did you buy that?
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これは昨日買った鍵です
This is the key I bought yesterday.
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それは昨日買った財布です
That is the wallet I bought yesterday.
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あれは昨日買った切符です
That is the ticket I bought yesterday.
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これは昨日買った傘です
This is the umbrella I bought yesterday.
6 more examples
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それは昨日買った帽子です
That is the hat I bought yesterday.
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あれは昨日買った辞書です
That is the dictionary I bought yesterday.
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これは昨日買った携帯電話です
This is the mobile phone I bought yesterday.
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それは昨日買ったコートです
That is the coat I bought yesterday.
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あれは昨日買ったかばんです
That is the bag I bought yesterday.
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これは昨日買った眼鏡です
This is the pair of glasses I bought yesterday.
Important notes
- これ is near the speaker, それ near the listener, あれ away from both. For something just mentioned in the conversation, それ usually points back to it.
Common mistakes
- これ・それ・あれ replace a noun and cannot stand before one: この本, not これ本.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.
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