Hello and welcome to Nihongoいちにのさん!!
Let's study Japanese grammar together.
こ-(ko-)／そ-(so-)／あ(a-)
※The link to the video is at the bottom of the page.
We have studied demonstratives such as
"これ," "その," and "あそこ" so far.
※Demonstrative words are words, for example
"this", "that", "these", and "those",
that show which person or thing is being referred to.
Japanese demonstratives that begin with the prefix "こ-(ko-)／そ-(so-)／あ-(a-)",
are used depending on whether what the speaker is referring to is in the
speaker's territory, the listener's territory, or far from either.
Words that begin with こ are used for things or
places that are closer to the speaker than to the listener.
Words that begin with あ are used for things or places that are far from both the speaker and the listener.
There is another way using of こ-(ko-)／そ-(so-)／あ(a-) words.
Read：こ Blue:そ Green:あ
①「こ-」
ここ" is where the
speaker and listener are, or close to either.
これ" and "この" refer to a thing which is
in the shared territory of the speaker and the listener.
Koko wa ikkai desu.
Here is the first floor. （We are on the first floor here.）
e.g. これは 何ですか。
Kore wa nan desuka.
What is this.
②「そ-」
そこ" is a place that is a short distance away from
where the speaker and listener are.
それ" and "その" refer
to a thing that is in an area a short distance away from where the speaker and
listener are.
ATM wa soko desu.
The ATM is there.
e.g. そのかばんは きむらさんのです。
Sono kaban wa
Kimura-san no desu.
That bag is Ms. Kimura's.
③「あ-」
あそこ" is a place
that is further away than "そこ."
あれ" and "あの" refer
to things that are further away than "それ" and
"そこ.
e.g. かいぎしつは あそこです。
Kaigishitsu wa
asoko desu.
The meeting room is over there.
e.g. あれは ふじさんです。
Are wa Fujisan
desu.
That's Mt.Fuji.
<Links for the articles of demonstratives>
