About This Lesson
Use Pointing and belonging to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
これは何ですか？
KOH-reh wah NAHN dess kah What is this?
B
それは何ですか？
SOH-reh wah NAHN dess kah What is that?
A
あの人は誰ですか？
AH-noh HEE-toh wah DAH-reh dess kah Who is that?
B
どれがあなたのですか？
DOH-reh gah ah-NAH-tah noh dess kah Which one is yours?
A
これは私のです。
KOH-reh wah wah-TAH-shee noh dess This one is mine.
B
それはあなたのです。
SOH-reh wah ah-NAH-tah noh dess That one is yours.Word by Word
これ
In 「これは何ですか？」, これ means “this,” referring to an item being indicated near the speaker. It is used when asking about or identifying the item being pointed to. A beginner can use it when asking what an item is.
は
In 「これは何ですか？」 and 「それは何ですか？」, は marks the topic, showing what the question is about. It follows the item or person being discussed. This pattern is useful for asking about or describing a particular thing.
何
In 「これは何ですか？」, 何 means “what” and asks for the identity of the indicated item. It appears before ですか in this polite identification question. Use it when you do not know what an item is.
です
In this dialogue, です gives the statement a polite form in questions such as 「これは何ですか？」 and 「あの人は誰ですか？」. It connects the topic with the information being requested. This is useful in polite beginner questions about identity.
か
At the end of 「これは何ですか？」, か marks the sentence as a question. It follows the polite form です to create a polite question. Use it at the end of a similar polite question.
それ
In 「それは何ですか？」 and 「それはあなたのです。」, それ means “that,” referring to an indicated item. It can be used as the topic when asking about the item or stating who it belongs to. A learner can use it when referring to a particular item that is not called これ.
あの
In 「あの人は誰ですか？」, あの means “that” and points to a person over there when combined with 人. Together, あの人 identifies the person being asked about. Use this expression when asking about the identity of a person at a distance.
人
In 「あの人は誰ですか？」, 人 means “person.” It combines with あの to form あの人, meaning “that person.” This noun is useful when referring to a person whose identity is being discussed.
誰
In 「あの人は誰ですか？」, 誰 means “who” and asks for the identity of a person. It appears before ですか in this polite question. Use it when you want to ask who a particular person is.
どれ
In 「どれがあなたのですか？」, どれ means “which one” and asks the listener to choose one item from several possibilities. It is the item identified as belonging to the listener. Use it when asking which item is the relevant one.
が
In 「どれがあなたのですか？」, が marks どれ as the item being identified as yours. It follows the choice word in this question. This pattern is useful when asking which option or item has a particular property.
あなた
In 「どれがあなたのですか？」, あなた refers to the person being addressed. With の, it identifies that person as the owner: あなたの means “yours” here. Use it when asking which item belongs to the person you are speaking to.
の
In 「あなたの」 and 「私の」, の shows who an item belongs to, giving the meanings “yours” and “mine” in this dialogue. It follows the person or owner reference. Use this form to identify ownership of an item.
私
In 「これは私のです。」, 私 refers to the speaker as the owner of the item. Together with の, 私の means “mine” here. Use it when identifying an item as belonging to yourself.
Grammar Points
これ／それ＋は
これは／それは
KOH-reh wah / SOH-reh wahthis/that as the topic
は marks the topic of a sentence and is pronounced “wa.”
私の／あなたの
私の／あなたの
wah-TAH-shee noh / ah-NAH-tah nohmine/yours
の shows possession or belonging; it can stand alone when the possessed noun is understood.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
ah-NAH-tah
you
あなたの
どれがあなたのですか?
あなたの
phrase
ah-NAH-tah noh
yours
それはあなたのです。
あの
det
AH-noh
that
あの人
あの人は誰ですか?
これ
pron
KOH-reh
this
これは
これは何ですか?
それ
pron
SOH-reh
that
それは
それは何ですか?
どれ
pron
DOH-reh
which one
どれがあなたのですか?
何
pron
NAH-nee
what
これは何ですか?
私
pron
wah-TAH-shee
I; me
私の
これは私のです。
私の
phrase
wah-TAH-shee noh
mine
これは私のです。
人
noun
HEE-toh
person
あの人は誰ですか?
誰
pron
DAH-reh
who
あの人は誰ですか?
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
you
Show Answer
あなたのwhich one
Show Answer
どれI; me
Show Answer
私のthis