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本
ほん
book
これは 日本語の 本です。
This is a Japanese-language book.
N5 Day 3
これは何ですか What is this?
Ask and answer about the things around you: "What is this?" and "Whose is that?" You will use これ・それ・あれ・どれ and この・その・あの・どの.
About 25 minutes · 8 words · grammar · reading · quiz
- Words
- Grammar
- Read
- Quiz
- Done
Today's words
ノート
のーと
notebook
それは 私の ノートです。
That is my notebook.
辞書
じしょ
dictionary
あれは 先生の 辞書です。
That over there is the teacher's dictionary.
鉛筆
えんぴつ
pencil
この 鉛筆は 妹のです。
This pencil is my younger sister's.
かばん
bag
その かばんは リンさんのですか。
Is that bag Lin-san's?
傘
かさ
umbrella
あの 傘は 父のです。
That umbrella over there is my father's.
時計
とけい
clock; watch
この 時計は 日本の 時計です。
This watch is a Japanese watch.
だれ
who
あの 学生は だれですか。
Who is that student over there?
Today's grammar
これ・それ・あれ・どれ
this, that (near you), that over there, which one
Formation
- これ／それ／あれ + は + N + です
- N + は + これ／それ／あれ + です
- N + は + どれ + ですか
These words point to things. これ is something near the speaker, それ is something near the listener, and あれ is something far from both. どれ asks "which one?" among three or more things. Because the viewpoint changes, a question with それ (それは 何ですか) is usually answered with これ (これは ... です). These words stand alone as nouns; to put a noun after them, use この, その, あの and どの instead.
Examples
これは 私の かさです。
This is my umbrella.
A: それは 何ですか。
B: これは 日本の お茶です。A: What is that? B: This is Japanese tea.
この・その・あの・どの
this, that, that over there, which (always before a noun)
Formation
- この／その／あの／どの + N
この, その, あの and どの must always be followed by a noun. The distance rules are the same as for これ, それ and あれ: この for something near the speaker, その for something near the listener, あの for something far from both, and どの to ask "which ~?". Unlike これ, they can also be used for people (この 人, あの 先生). この 本は 私のです and これは 私の 本です mean almost the same thing.
Examples
この 本は 私のです。
This book is mine.
すみません、その かばんは いくらですか。
Excuse me, how much is that bag?
Read
だれのですか Whose is it?
アリ先生、これは だれの 辞書ですか。Teacher, whose dictionary is this?
先生それは リンさんの 辞書です。その ノートも リンさんのです。That is Lin-san's dictionary. That notebook is Lin-san's, too.
アリあれは だれの 傘ですか。Whose umbrella is that over there?
先生あの 傘は 佐藤さんのです。あの かばんも 佐藤さんのです。That umbrella over there is Sato-san's. That bag over there is Sato-san's, too.
アリそうですか。この 時計は だれのですか。I see. Whose watch is this?
先生あ、それは 私の 時計です！Oh, that is my watch!
アリえっ、先生の 時計ですか。What? It's your watch, Teacher?
Tap a line to see the translation.
Check your understanding
R1辞書は だれのですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 リンさんのです。
Ali-san asks これは だれの辞書ですか (Whose dictionary is this?), and the teacher answers それは リンさんの辞書です (That is Lin-san's dictionary). The umbrella and the bag are Sato-san's.
R2先生のは どれですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 時計
When Ali-san asks この時計は だれのですか (Whose watch is this?), the teacher answers それは 私の時計です (That is my watch). The notebook is Lin-san's, and the umbrella and the bag are Sato-san's.
Quiz
1A：あの かばんは （ ）のですか。 B：マリアさんのです。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 だれ
A asks "Whose bag is that over there?" and B answers "It's Maria-san's." To ask about the owner, use だれの (whose). これ, どれ and あれ point to things, not people.
2（ ） 傘は 私のです。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 この
The sentence means "This umbrella is mine." Before a noun such as 傘, use この, その or あの. これ, それ and あれ stand alone and cannot come directly before a noun.
3A：それは だれの 鉛筆ですか。 B：この （ ）ですか。リンさんのです。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 鉛筆
A asks "Whose pencil is that?" B checks which thing A means, so B says この鉛筆ですか (This pencil?) and then answers "It's Lin-san's." The other words are different things.
4A：リンさんの かばんは （ ）ですか。 B：あれです。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 どれ
A asks "Which one is Lin-san's bag?" and B answers "It's that one over there." どれ (which one) stands alone. どの and この need a noun after them, and だれ asks about a person.
5A：これは 辞書です。それも 辞書ですか。 B：いいえ、これは （ ）です。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 ノート
A says "This is a dictionary. Is that a dictionary, too?" B answers いいえ (no), so B's thing is not a dictionary. ノート (notebook) is the only other thing in the choices. だれ and あれ do not fit here.
6A：（ ）は 何ですか。 B：あれは 時計です。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 あれ
A asks "What is that over there?" and B answers "That is a clock." あれ can stand alone before は. あの and どの need a noun after them, and だれ (who) does not match 何ですか (what is it?).
7＿＿ ＿＿ ＿★＿ ＿＿ ですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 は
The correct order is 3→4→2→1: この本は だれのですか (Whose is this book?). この must come directly before the noun 本, and だれの comes before ですか. The star is は.
8これは 私の 本です。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 ほん
本 is read ほん (book). The sentence means "This is my book." It is not ぼん or はん.
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