Learn Japanese - Lesson 4: This, That, That (Over There) Is...

Key Words

これ = this [noun]

[kore]

それ = that [noun]

[sore]

あれ = that (over there) [noun]

[are]

は = (subject marker*)

[wa]*

です = (sentence marker)

[desu]

* Note: When "ha" appears after a subject, it is pronounced "wa".

* Note about "です": usually this word is pronounced "dess", rhyming with the English word "less."

New Vocabulary

Japanese Nouns

くるま = car

[kuruma]

いえ = house

[ie]

とり = bird

[tori]

ひと= person

[hito]

ほん= book

[hon]

き = tree

[ki]

いぬ = dog

[inu]

かわ = river

[kawa]

やま = mountain

[yama]

えんぴつ = pencil

[enpitsu]

ねこ = cat

[neko]

はな = flower

[hana]

Practice

Write the following sentences in Japanese using Hiragana and Katakana.

1. This is a pencil.
2. That is a tree.
3. That (over there) is a mountain.
4. This is a dog. That is a cat.
5. That (over there) is a river.

Translate the following Japanese sentences to English.

1. それはくるまです。
2. これはほんです。
3. あれはやまです。
4. それはとりです。
5. あれはわたしのいえです。