これ・それ・あれ

Learn the standalone words for this, that, and that over there, and read them by speaker distance.

Recognize これ, それ, and あれ as standalone pointing words.Use speaker and listener distance to choose the right form.Avoid confusing these words with この, その, and あの.

Guided study

Standalone pointing words

これ points to something near the speaker. それ points to something near the listener or something already mentioned. あれ points to something far from both sides. These three words stand alone, so they do not go directly before a noun.

これはほんです。

This is a book.

これ stands by itself.

それはかばんです。

That is a bag.

それ often points near the listener.

あれはホテルです。

That over there is a hotel.

あれ points far from both speaker and listener.

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N5 Japanese grammar lessons

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Japanese grammar lessons

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