こ-そ-あ-ど System

こ-そ-あ-ど System

The こ-そ-あ-ど system is a fundamental pattern in Japanese for demonstratives (this/that) and question words (which/what). The prefixes こ-, そ-, あ-, and ど- combine with various suffixes to create words for things, places, directions, people, and more.

これ/それ/あれ/どれ "this/that/that over there/which"
ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ "here/there/over there/where"
この/その/あの/どの "this/that/that/which" (+ noun)

The Four Prefixes

こ- (Near speaker)

Close to me
Within my reach
Here (my area)

"This/here"

そ- (Near listener)

Close to you
Within your reach
There (your area)

"That/there"

あ- (Far from both)

Away from both
Over there
Distant location

"That over there"

ど- (Question)

Which one?
Where?
What kind?

Question prefix

Complete System Chart

Things (れ)

これ "this (thing)"
それ "that (thing)"
あれ "that (thing) over there"
どれ "which (thing)"

Standalone pronouns

Noun modifiers (の)

この "this" (+ noun)
その "that" (+ noun)
あの "that" (+ noun)
どの "which" (+ noun)

Before nouns
この本 "this book"

Places (こ)

ここ "here"
そこ "there"
あそこ "over there"
どこ "where"

Location words

Direction (ちら)

こちら "this way/direction"
そちら "that way/direction"
あちら "that way over there"
どちら "which way"

Direction/polite

People (の人/いつ/なた)

この人 "this person"
その人 "that person"
あの人 "that person"
どの人 "which person"

Or use: こいつ/そいつ/あいつ/どいつ (rough)

Manner/kind (んな)

こんな "this kind of"
そんな "that kind of"
あんな "that kind of"
どんな "what kind of"

Type/manner

Degree (れだけ/れほど/れくらい)

これだけ "this much"
それだけ "that much"
あれだけ "that much"
どれだけ "how much"

Quantity/degree

Usage by Category

これ/それ/あれ/どれ (Things)

これは本です
"This is a book"

それを買う
"Buy that"

あれは何？
"What's that over there?"

どれがいい？
"Which is good?"

Standalone objects

この/その/あの/どの (Modifiers)

この本
"This book"

その人
"That person"

あの山
"That mountain"

どの道
"Which road"

Before nouns always

ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ (Places)

ここに来て
"Come here"

そこで待つ
"Wait there"

あそこに行く
"Go over there"

どこにいる？
"Where are you?"

Location words

こちら/そちら/あちら/どちら (Direction/Polite)

こちらへどうぞ
"This way, please"

そちらは寒いですか
"Is it cold there (where you are)?"

あちらに見えます
"You can see it over there"

どちらがいいですか
"Which is better?" (polite)

Direction + polite reference

こんな/そんな/あんな/どんな (Kind/Type)

こんな本
"This kind of book"

そんなこと
"That kind of thing"

あんな人
"That kind of person"

どんな映画
"What kind of movie"

Type/manner/degree

Distance in Space

Visual representation

Speaker → こ (here with me)
      ↓
Listener → そ (there with you)
      ↓
Far away → あ (over there)

Spatial relationship

Practical example

In a room:
これ (in my hand)
それ (on your desk)
あれ (across the room)

Physical distance matters

Polite Forms

こちら/そちら/あちら

More polite than ここ/そこ/あそこ

こちらは田中です
"This is Tanaka" (introducing)

そちらの天気はどうですか
"How's the weather there?"

Polite direction/reference

Pattern Consistency

Same prefix = same distance

これ + ここ + この + こんな
All refer to near speaker

それ + そこ + その + そんな
All refer to near listener

あれ + あそこ + あの + あんな
All refer to far from both

Pattern is consistent

Question Words (ど-)

Systematic questions

どれ "which (thing)"
どこ "where"
どの "which" (+ noun)
どちら "which (of two)/where"
どんな "what kind of"
どう "how"
どうして "why"
どのくらい "how much/long"

All use ど- prefix

Common Patterns

〜はどうですか

天気はどうですか
"How's the weather?"

日本語はどうですか
"How is Japanese?"

Asking opinion/state

こんな/そんな/あんな + noun

こんな本が好き
"I like this kind of book"

そんなことない
"That's not true"

あんな人は嫌い
"I hate that kind of person"

Type/manner

それで (And so/Therefore)

雨だった。それで家にいた。
"It was raining. So I stayed home."

Connector
Not demonstrative

Temporal Usage

Time references

この前 "the other day/before"
その時 "at that time"
あの時 "at that time (memorable)"
どの時 "which time"

Time + demonstrative

これら/それら/あれら (Plural)

これらの本
"These books"

それらは高い
"Those are expensive"

あれらの人々
"Those people over there"

Plural demonstratives
Formal/written mainly

Special Uses

この/その/あの人 (Person reference)

この人は友達です
"This person is my friend"

あの人は誰？
"Who is that person?"

Polite person reference
Better than pronouns

Rough/Casual Forms

こいつ/そいつ/あいつ (Rough "guy")

こいつは面白い
"This guy is funny"

あいつは誰？
"Who's that guy?"

Very casual/rough
Males mainly
Can be rude

Common Mistakes

Using これ/それ/あれ before nouns

Wrong: これ本 ⚠️
Correct: この本 ✓
"This book"

Use この/その/あの before nouns

Confusing ここ and これ

Wrong: これに行く ⚠️
Correct: ここに行く ✓
"Go here"

ここ = place
これ = thing

Wrong distance choice

Context matters:
Speaker holds apple → これ
Listener holds apple → それ
Apple on far table → あれ

Choose based on actual distance

Conversation Perspective Shift

A: これは何？
   "What's this?" (near A)

B: それは辞書だよ
   "That's a dictionary" (near A, so それ for B)

Speaker's こ = listener's そ
Perspective changes

ど- Questions

Basic question patterns

どれですか
"Which one is it?"

どこに行く？
"Where are you going?"

どんな人？
"What kind of person?"

どうしたの？
"What happened?"

ど- for all questions

Practice Sentences

Basic

これは何ですか
"What is this?"

ここに来てください
"Please come here"

この本は面白い
"This book is interesting"

どこに行きますか
"Where are you going?"

こんな時に
"At a time like this"

Intermediate

System in use:
A: これは何ですか。
B: それは私のかばんです。

A: "What is this?"
B: "That's my bag."

この店はどこにありますか。
あそこに見えます。あの大きい
建物です。
"Where is this store?
You can see it over there. It's that
big building."

どんな映画が好きですか。
こんな面白い映画が好きです。
"What kind of movies do you like?
I like interesting movies like this."

そちらの天気はどうですか。
こちらは雨です。そちらも
雨ですか。
"How's the weather there?
It's raining here. Is it
raining there too?"