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Japanese demonstrative pronouns or shijishi (指示詞) are similar to the English language grammatical usage of demonstrative pronouns. Demonstrative pronouns, definition wise, is a pronoun that is used to point to something specific within a sentence. Such a pronoun can indicate items in space or time, and they can be either singular or plural.

Let’s Learn About Shijishi: Different Types of Japanese Demonstrative Pronouns

However, the Japanese demonstrative pronouns are more complex one might think. The first hiragana characters, which are こ (ko), そ (so) and あ (a) have different uses and meanings. The three characters are used and signified as a way to state something or someone that is present at the time when a person is talking.

こ (ko) is used to signify something or someone near to the speaker. In the case of そ (so), it is used to signify something or someone near to the listener. And finally, あ (a) is used to signify something far away from both the speaker and the listener.

Besides “こ (ko)”, “そ (so)” and “あ (a)” being utilized in situations which a person is conversing at a certain period of time and is witnessed to hear it, the three characters also can be expressed in a way that is being referred to when talking or remembering something.

こ (ko) can be used when the speaker is about to talk about, or something that is already being talked about. そ (so) was used when something that the person talking just mentioned, or when the listener is referring to something the speaker mentioned which they had not known previously. And finally, あ (a) was used when something that both the person talking and the listener already know about. It can also refer to something the person talking remembers.

In this article, we will be discussing multiple types of Japanese demonstrative pronouns ranging from casual to polite/formal.

この (kono), その (sono), あの (ano)

The three Japanese demonstratives,この (kono), その (sono), あの (ano) modify the nouns that follow after them. So the formats are always この+Noun, その+Noun, あの+Noun. In general, the three Japanese demonstratives are used to identifying objects in a similar way.

• この (kono) refers to an object or person near to the speaker
• その (sono) refers to an object or person near to the listener
• あの (ano) refers to an object or person far from both the speaker and the listener

Example

このバッグはわたしのです。

Kono baggu wa watashi no desu

This bag is mine. 

そのバッグはあなたのです。

Sono baggu wa anata no desu

That bag is yours. 

あのバッグはジョンさんのです。

Ano baggu wa jon san no desu

That bag over there is John's.

これ (kore), それ (sore) and あれ (are)

The most commonly used Japanese demonstrative pronouns are the three, which are これ (kore), それ (sore) and あれ (are). Although in the English language we identify objects by using “this” and “that”, Japanese identify objects by saying or using”this”, “that”, “that over there”.

• これ (kore) refers to an object near to the speaker
• それ (sore) explains an object near to the listener
• あれ (are) points out an object far from both the speaker and the listener

Example

これはわたしのバッグです。

Kore wa watashi no baggu desu

This is my bag. 

それはあなたのバッグです。

Sore wa anata no baggu desu

That is your bag. 

あれはジョンさんのバッグです。

Are wa jon san no baggu desu

That (over there) is John's bag.

Depending on the situation, if both the speaker and the listener are close enough, they can consider themselves as one entity. As such, they can refer an object near to them as これ (kore), refer to an object slightly away from them as それ (sore), and refer an object far away from them as あれ (are).

ここ (koko), そこ (soko) and あそこ (asoko)

While これ (kore), それ (sore) and あれ (are) refer to things, another three Japanese demonstrative pronouns ここ (koko), そこ (soko) and あそこ (asoko) refer to places.

• ここ (koko) refers to the place where the speaker is
• そこ (soko) points to the place where the listener is
• あそこ (asoko) indicates the place which is far from both the speaker and the listener

Example

ここは会議室です。

Koko wa kaigishitsu desu.

Here is the classroom.

そこは事務所です。

Soko wa jimusho desu.

There is the office. 

あそこは大学です。

Asoko wa daigaku desu.

Over there is the university.

When the speaker regards the listener as sharing his territory, the place where they both are is designated by the word ここ (koko). In addition, そこ (soko) designates the place a slight distance away from them and あそこ (asoko) designates an even more distant location.

Another three Japanese demonstrative pronouns which are polite versions of ここ (koko), そこ (soko) and あそこ (asoko). Such polite versions of the three Japanese demonstrative pronouns are こちら (kochira), そちら (sochira) and あちら (achira). These three not only refer to places but can also be used to point out at someone in a particular direction. 

Example

こちらは食堂しょくどうです。

Kochira wa shokudoo desu.

Here is the canteen.

そちらはロビーです。

Sochira wa robii desu.

There is the lobby. 

あちらはトイレです。

achira wa toire desu.

Over there is the toilet．

conclusion

In conclusion, there were four different scenario usage of the Japanese demonstrative pronouns, with Japanese hiragana characters that started with こ (ko), そ (so) and あ (a). The graph below has all of the Japanese demonstrative pronouns, separated into types and characters. We hope this was useful and happy studying!

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