この/その/あの

This/that/that (Before Nouns)

Level 1Sounds Like kono/sono/ano

Use この (this), その (that), and あの (that over there) to point out specific things or people. Unlike これ/それ/あれ, these words cannot stand alone; they must always be followed by a noun.

How It Works

In Japanese, these are called 連体詞（れんたいし） (pre-noun adjectivals). They function similarly to English adjectives like 'this' or 'that' when they modify a noun (e.g., 'this book').

1. Physical Distance:
The choice depends on the physical location of the object:

  • この（この）: The object is in the speaker's immediate 'zone'.
  • その（その）: The object is in the listener's 'zone'.
  • あの（あの）: The object is in the distal zone, significantly far away from both people (e.g., a building across the street).

2. Conversational Distance (Anaphoric Use):
When talking about things not physically present:

  • Use この（この） for something the speaker is about to introduce or feels a close personal connection to.
  • Use その（その） for something the other person just mentioned or something only one of you knows well.
  • Use あの（あの） for something both the speaker and listener are familiar with, like a shared memory or a famous person you both know.

3. Referring to People:
While これ can be rude when referring to people, using この（この）/その（その）/あの（あの） followed by a noun is the standard way to point someone out. Using 人（ひと） is neutral and standard (e.g., あの人（あのひと） - that person), while using 方（かた） is more polite and formal (e.g., あの方（あのかた）).

4. Grammatical Rule:
These words must be followed by a noun. You cannot say 「このは...」. To say 'This is...', you must use the pronoun これ.

Examples (5)

  1. このペンは私のです。

    This pen is mine.

    Word by Word: This pen (topic) me of is.

    この (this) modifies the noun ペン (pen). The object is near the speaker.

  2. その本を読んでください。

    Please read that book (near you).

    Word by Word: That book (object) read please.

    その (that) is used because the book is near the listener.

  3. あのビルはとても高いですね。

    That building over there is very tall, isn't it?

    Word by Word: That building (topic) very tall is, right?

    あの (that over there) is used for a building far from both the speaker and listener.

  4. どの辞書がいいですか。

    Which dictionary is good?

    Word by Word: Which dictionary (topic) good is?

    どの (which) is the question form used to ask about a specific noun among several options.

  5. あの店にまた行きましょう。

    Let's go to that shop (we both know) again.

    Word by Word: That shop to again let's go.

    あの is used here for a shared memory of a shop both people know.

Common Mistakes

  • Using この（この）/その（その）/あの（あの） as standalone pronouns.

    このは本です。
    これは本です。 / この本は私のです。

    この（この） cannot be followed directly by a particle like は（は）. It must be followed by a noun. Use これ if you want to say 'This is...'

  • Adding the possessive particle の（の） after the word.

    このの本
    この本

    Learners often think の（の） is needed to connect to a noun (like 私の本（わたしのほん）), but この（この） already includes the function of the possessive particle. Adding another の（の） is redundant and incorrect.

How It Connects

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この/その/あのLevel 1This/that/that (Before Nouns)

Learn This First

To understand 'kono/sono/ano', you first need to grasp the 'ko-so-a' system of distance relative to the speaker and listener, which is introduced with 'kore/sore/are'. You also need a basic understanding of how nouns function within Japanese sentence structures.

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