🛒 Shopping — Kore, Sore, Are
In this chapter, we learn how to navigate a shopping environment. This involves identifying objects near and far, asking information about prices, and “whose” something is.
Demonstrative Pronouns (Ko-So-A-Do)
Japanese uses a unique “distance-based” system called Ko-So-A-Do. It covers objects, places, and even directions.
Relative Distance is Key
- Ko (This): Close to the Speaker.
- So (That): Close to the Listener.
- A (That over there): Far from BOTH.
- Do (Which): Question word.
1. Referring to Objects (これ / それ / あれ / どれ)
These words act as nouns. They can stand alone.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| これ | kore | This one | Near Speaker |
| それ | sore | That one | Near Listener |
| あれ | are | That one over there | Far away |
| どれ | dore | Which one? | Question |
Examples:
- これは なんですか。 (What is this?)
- それは わたしの ペンです。 (That [near you] is my pen.)
2. Referring to Specific Nouns (この / その / あの / どの)
These must be attached to a noun. You generally cannot use them alone.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| この + Noun | kono | This [noun] | Near Speaker |
| その + Noun | sono | That [noun] | Near Listener |
| あの + Noun | ano | That [noun] | Far away |
| どの + Noun | dono | Which [noun]? | Question |
Examples:
- この とけいは いくらですか。 (How much is this watch?)
- その かばんは ３０００えんです。 (That bag is 3,000 yen.)
3. Referring to Locations (ここ / そこ / あそこ / どこ)
Use these to ask where things (like the restroom or station) are.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ここ (Koko) | Here | Close to speaker |
| そこ (Soko) | There | Close to listener |
| あそこ (Asoko) | Over there | Far away |
| どこ (Doko) | Where? | Question |
Grammar: Asking “Whose?”
だれの (Dare no)
Combine だれ (Who) + の (Possessive particle).
-
これは だれの かばんですか。
- Kore wa dare no kaban desu ka?
- Whose bag is this?
-
それは メアリーさんの かばんです。
- Sore wa Mearii-san no kaban desu.
- That is Mary’s bag.
You can drop the noun if it’s obvious from context.
Instead of saying “Watashi no kaban desu” (It’s my bag), you can just say “Watashi no desu” (It’s mine).
Particle: も (Mo) — “Also”
Use も to replace は when the description is the same as the previous topic.
- たけしさんは にほんじんです。 (Takeshi is Japanese.)
- ゆいさんも にほんじんです。 (Yui is also Japanese.)
Note: Use “mo” only when the new topic shares the SAME property.
Negative: じゃないです (Ja nai desu)
So far we’ve used です (is/am/are). The negative form is じゃないです.
- がくせい です。 (I am a student.)
- がくせい じゃないです。 (I am not a student.)
Formal Variation:
“Ja nai desu” is polite enough for conversation. In very formal writing or speeches, you might hear ではないです (dewa nai desu) or ではありません (dewa arimasen).
Sentence Particles: ~ね and ~よ
These come at the very end of a sentence to add “flavor” or nuance.
~ね (Ne) — Seeking Agreement
“Right?”, “Don’t you think?”, “Isn’t it?”
- この ほんは たかいですね。 (This book is expensive, isn’t it?)
- Use this when you expect the listener to agree.
~よ (Yo) — Providing New Info / Emphasis
“I tell you”, “You know”, “Actually”
- トイレは あそこですよ。 (The restroom is over there, generally used when telling someone who doesn’t know.)
- Use this when you are giving information the listener doesn’t have.
Culture Note: Prices & Money
Japan is still largely a cash-based society, though cards are gaining popularity.
The Yen (円 - En)
- 1円 (Ichi-en): Aluminum, very light. useless in vending machines.
- 5円 (Go-en): Brass with a hole. Considered lucky because “go-en” also means “good relationship/fate”.
- 1,000円, 5,000円, 10,000円: The main bills.
Reading Prices
- 350円: San-byaku go-juu en
- 12,800円: Ichi-man ni-sen happyaku en
Test Your Knowledge
Chapter Quiz
If the object is near the LISTENER, which word do you use?