Japanese course

Lesson 16 of 240

New here? This is lesson 16 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

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This one, that one in Japanese

Leo ducks into Kissa Hotaru on a wet morning and reaches for the umbrella stand. Masako stops his hand over the old black one that nobody borrows.

Three umbrellas sit in the stand. You'll learn to point: this one, that one by the other person, and that one over there.

You'll also ask which one, then pick yours with a short spoken answer.

By the end of this lesson

Point with this, that and that over there, and ask which one.

  • これです。This one.
  • それです。That one (by you).
  • あれです。That one over there.
  • どれですか。Which one?
  • どちらですか。Which one? (polite)
  • こっちです。This one. / This way.

Scene — the umbrella stand

Rain beads on the glass door of Kissa Hotaru. Leo reaches into the stand, his hand on the old black one with the blank faded tag.

Two other wet umbrellas sit beside it, one of them his clear plastic umbrella. Masako looks up from the counter.

In the corner booth, Goro watches over toast and an untouched blend coffee.

Rain beads on Kissa Hotaru’s glass door as Leo reaches for the old black umbrella and Masako looks up from the counter.

Learn — this one, that one

Six short lines cover this one, that one by you, and that one over there.

You'll also ask which one, then answer with a spoken this-way line.

  1. Leo’s hand rests on the old black umbrella in the stand.

    これです。

    This one.

    When to use it: Say this for a thing near you.

    Learn it as one piece for a thing in your hand.

    Say it: The u in です is almost silent.

  2. Masako points toward the black umbrella beside Leo.

    それです。

    That one (by you).

    When to use it: Say this for a thing near the other person.

    Learn it as one piece for a thing by the other person.

  3. Goro points across the café toward the umbrella stand by the door.

    あれです。

    That one over there.

    When to use it: Say this for a thing far from you both.

    Learn it as one piece for a thing farther away.

  4. Leo looks between the umbrellas in the stand, unsure which one to choose.

    どれですか。

    Which one?

    When to use it: Ask this when you choose among three or more.

    Learn it as one piece when you cannot tell which.

  5. Masako pauses beside Goro’s booth and gestures toward the umbrellas as she asks which one he means.

    どちらですか。

    Which one? (polite)

    When to use it: Ask this when you choose between two things.

    Learn it as one piece for a polite choice of two.

  6. Leo turns into the café with the black umbrella tucked close as he steps inside.

    こっちです。

    This one. / This way.

    When to use it: Say this to pick the one near you in speech.

    Learn it as one piece; it is the spoken pick.

    Say it: The small っ is a short stop.

Story — not that one

Watch Leo at the wet umbrella stand. Masako stops his hand, and he has to point at the right one.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Rain on the glass. Leo's hand rests on the old black umbrella.
  2. Leoこんにちは。Hello.
  3. Masako looks over from the counter.
  4. Masakoそれじゃないですよ。Not that one.
  5. Leoすみません。Excuse me.
  6. Three umbrellas sit in the stand: the old black one, Leo's clear one, and another wet one.
  7. Leoどれですか。Which one?
  8. Masakoこっちです。This one.
  9. Leoこれです。This one.
  10. Masakoそれです。That one (by you).
  11. Two umbrellas remain by the door. Masako stops at Goro's booth and asks which he was watching.
  12. Masakoどちらですか。Which one?
  13. Goroあれです。That one over there.
  14. Masako does not look at it. Goro's blend coffee is still full.

Practice — point and pick

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    これです。Drop the English here
    それです。Drop the English here
    あれです。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    The wet umbrella is in your hand. Masako looks at you.

  4. What do you say?

    Three or more umbrellas sit in the stand. Ask which one is yours.

  5. What does it mean?

    あれです。

  6. Swap the word

    Two umbrellas are by you. Pick yours the spoken way.

    ____です。

  7. Build the line

    Which one? (polite)

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    どちらですか。

    Which of these two by you?

    And you reply with:

  9. Find the mistake

  10. What do you say?

    Masako stops your hand on the old black umbrella.

  11. True or false?

    You say this from late morning until evening.

Say it — say which one

Now you are Leo at the umbrella stand. When it is your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Masakoそれじゃないですよ。Not that one.
  2. Leo (you)Ask which one.

    どれですか。

    Which one?

0 of 3 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
これです。This one.
それです。That one (by you).
あれです。That one over there.
どれですか。Which one?
どちらですか。Which one? (polite)
こっちです。This one. / This way.
Next: lesson 17Numbers one to ten

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these pointing lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps this, that, and which one ready.

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