Basic Lessons
Asking Directions (3)
Dialogue
Click here for the dialogue for Asking Directions.
Ko-so-a-do System
Japanese has sets of words which are based on the physical distance from the speaker and the listener. They are called "ko-so-a-do words" because the first syllable is always either ko-, so-, a-, or do-. "Ko-words" refer to things nearer to the speaker, "So-words" to things nearer to the listener, "A-words" to things that are at distance from both the speaker and the listener, and "Do-words" are questions words.
(1) kono/sono/ano/dono + [Noun]
They cannot be used on their own. They have to be followed by the noun that they modify.
| kono hon | this book |
| sono hon | that book |
| ano hon | that book over there |
| dono hon | which book |
(2) kore/sore/are/dore
They cannot be followed by a noun. They can be replaced with kono/sono/ano/dono + [Noun] when the things indicated are obvious.
| Kono hon o yomimashita. | I read this book. |
| Kore o yomimashita. | I read this. |
(3) Ko-so-a-do Chart
| ko- | so- | a- | do- | |
| thing | kono [N] | sono [N] | ano [N] | dono [N] |
| kore | sore | are | dore | |
| place | koko | soko | asoko | doko |
| direction | kochira | sochira | achira | dochira |
The "kochira" group can be used as the polite equivalent of the "kore" or "koko" group. These expressions are often used by employees in the service industries.
| Kore wa ikaga desu ka. Kochira wa ikaga desu ka. |
How about this one? |
| Asoko de omachi kudasai. Achira de omachi kudasai. |
Please wait over there. |
