JLPT N5 Grammar: これ / それ / あれ / どれ
Demonstrative pronouns — “this” / “that” / “that (over there)” / “which”
JLPT N5 文法 これ・それ・あれ・どれ 解説 (こそあど言葉)
⏱️ Study time: 4–6 minutes
これ・それ・あれ・どれ are the "thing" pronouns of the kosoado system. Use これ for things near the speaker, それ for things near the listener, あれ for things far from both, and どれ to ask "which one?". Master these and you can point to anything in Japanese.
Quick Summary
This (near speaker)
That (near listener)
That over there (far from both)
Which one? (question)
📝 Kosoado "Thing" Pronouns
💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.
What are これ・それ・あれ・どれ?
これ、それ、あれ、どれ are demonstrative pronouns (指示代名詞). They stand alone as the subject or topic of a sentence and refer to things. The system is called kosoado (こそあど) based on the first syllable of each group.
- They replace a noun — no noun follows them.
- Always followed by a particle (は, が, を, etc.).
- For modifying nouns (e.g., "this book"), use この・その・あの・どの.
それは私の本です。それはわたしのほんです。Sore wa watashi no hon desu.
That (near you) is my book.
⚡ Kosoado Thing Pronouns — Proximity Guide
Examples & Mini Dialogue
これ、いくらですか。これ、いくらですか。Kore, ikura desu ka.
How much is this? (speaker holding an item)
✅ これ used because the item is near the speaker.
あれは富士山ですか。あれはふじさんですか。Are wa Fujisan desu ka.
Is that Mount Fuji over there?
A: それは何ですか。それはなんですか。Sore wa nan desu ka.
B: これは田中さんのペンです。これはたなかさんのぺんです。Kore wa Tanaka-san no pen desu.
⚡ Common Patterns with これ・それ・あれ・どれ
Common Mistakes (and Fixes)
JLPT N5 Practice Questions
1. Your friend is holding a book. You ask "What is that?"
2. You see a mountain far away. Which word means "that over there"?
3. You want to ask "Which one is yours?"
Test yourself with a free mock exam →
About the Instructor
Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.
Related Grammar
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between これ and この?
これ is a pronoun — it stands alone and is followed by a particle (これは本です). この is an adjective — it modifies a noun (この本は高いです — this book is expensive).
When do I use あれ instead of それ?
それ is for something near the listener (moderate distance). あれ is for something far from both speaker and listener (distant). Think: それ = that, あれ = that over there.
Why does どれ use が instead of は?
どれ is a question word and naturally asks for new, focused information. が emphasises the subject being identified. In polite questions, どれが〜ですか is the standard pattern.
Continue Learning
Next: この / その / あの / どの — demonstrative adjectives.
Learn この / その →→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub
Ready to Pass JLPT N5 with Confidence?
Join Anup Sensei's intensive course at Gogaku Language & Training Center, Pokhara. Small batches, real conversation, mock tests, and full grammar mastery.
Join Now – www.gogakueducation.com