18 Aug
ใใ / ใใ / ใใ | Minna no Nihongo | Lesson 2
### Understanding ใใ / ใใ / ใใ in "Minna no Nihongo" | Lesson 2
In Lesson 2 of "Minna no Nihongo," you'll encounter some of the most basic but essential demonstrative words in Japanese: ใใ (kore), ใใ (sore), and ใใ (are). These words are crucial for pointing out objects and making references in conversation. Letโs dive into each of these terms and understand how they are used.
### 1. **ใใ (Kore)**
**ใใ** refers to something that is close to the speaker. It translates to "this" in English. Use "ใใ" when you want to refer to an object that is near you.
- **Example:**
ย - ใใใฏใใณใงใใ(Kore wa pen desu.)
ย - This is a pen.
In this sentence, "ใใ" indicates that the pen is near the speaker. Itโs used when the speaker is holding or pointing to the object.
### 2. **ใใ (Sore)**
**ใใ** refers to something that is close to the listener or something that was previously mentioned. It translates to "that" in English. Use "ใใ" when the object is not near the speaker but is near the listener or has already been introduced in the conversation.
- **Example:**
ย - ใใใฏไฝใงใใ๏ผ(Sore wa nan desu ka?)
ย - What is that?
Here, "ใใ" points to an object that is presumably close to the listener or has been mentioned before. The question seeks to identify or get more information about the object.
### 3. **ใใ (Are)**
**ใใ** refers to something that is far from both the speaker and the listener. It translates to "that over there" in English. Use "ใใ" when talking about an object that is distant from both parties.
- **Example:**
ย - ใใใฏๅฑฑใงใใ(Are wa yama desu.)
ย - That over there is a mountain.
In this sentence, "ใใ" indicates that the mountain is far from both the speaker and the listener. It is used for objects that are not within immediate reach of either person in the conversation.
### Usage Summary
To summarize, hereโs a quick guide for using these demonstrative words:
- **ใใ**: Use for objects that are close to the speaker.
- **ใใ**: Use for objects that are close to the listener or have been previously mentioned.
- **ใใ**: Use for objects that are distant from both the speaker and the listener.
### Practical Examples
1. **In a Classroom:**
ย ย - **Speaker**: ใใใฏใใผใใงใใ(Kore wa nลto desu.) โ This is a notebook.
ย ย - **Listener**: ใใใฏ็งใฎใใผใใงใใ(Sore wa watashi no nลto desu.) โ That is my notebook.
ย ย - **Speaker**: ใใใฏๅ
็ใฎใใผใใงใใ(Are wa sensei no nลto desu.) โ That over there is the teacher's notebook.
2. **In a Store:**
ย ย - **Customer**: ใใใใใ ใใใ(Kore o kudasai.) โ Iโll take this one, please.
ย ย - **Customer**: ใใใฏใใใใงใใ๏ผ(Sore wa ikura desu ka?) โ How much is that?
ย ย - **Customer**: ใใใฏใจใฆใ้ซใใงใใ(Are wa totemo takai desu.) โ That over there is very expensive.
By mastering these demonstratives, youโll be able to navigate conversations with greater ease and clarity. These terms are foundational in Japanese and will serve you well as you continue learning and practicing the language.
