Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 8

これは ちちですThis is my father

Kore wa chichi desu

The determiners kono/sono/ano go before a noun: Kono hito wa chichi desu (This person is my father). Note the difference from kore, which stands alone. More family words: older/younger brother and sister, grandfather, grandmother, son, daughter. Kana: 拗音 + 促音, and the long ii/aa in ojīsan/obāsan.

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これは ちちです— This Is My Father

  1. YukiKorewawatashinokazokudesuKonohitowachichidesuThis is my family. This person is my father.
  2. MikeKorewaoじいsandesukaIs this your grandfather? (mistake: kore for a person)
  3. YukiHitowakonohitodesuyoHaioじいsandesuFor a person it's "kono hito". Yes, that's my grandfather.
  4. MikeAnonekomokazokudesukaIs that cat over there also family?
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その いぬは だれのですか— Whose Dog Is That?

  1. KenMaikusansonoinuwaMaikusannodesukaMike, is that dog yours?
  2. MikeHaiwatashinoinudesuNamaewaPochidesuYes, it's my dog. Its name is Pochi.
  3. KenAnonekowaAnd that cat over there?
  4. MikeArewaanenonekodesuおおŌkiinekodesuThat one is my older sister's cat. It's a big cat.
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ani

noun(my) older brother

ane

noun(my) older sister

oとうto

nounyounger brother

iもうto

nounyounger sister

oじいsan

noungrandfather

oばあsan

noungrandmother

musuko

nounson

musume

noundaughter

ie

nounhouse, home

neko

nouncat

inu

noundog

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kosoado — kono / sono / ano + noun

Explanation

Kore/sore/are stand alone, but before a noun they become kono/sono/ano: kono hito (this person), sono kaban (that bag), ano ie (that house over there). The distance meaning is the same as kore/sore/are. It is handy for introducing family from a photo: Kono hito wa chichi desu (This person is my father).

Examples

  • この ひとは ちちです。This person is my father.
  • その かばんは あねのです。That bag is my older sister's.
  • あの いぬは わたしのです。That dog over there is mine.
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ひらがな: ながい ii・aa と ようおん— Hiragana: Long ii/aa and 拗音

Words whose meaning changes with length — be careful:

  • おじいさんojīsangrandfather — long "ii" (vs おじさん uncle)
  • おばあさんobāsangrandmother — long "aa" (vs おばさん aunt)
  • おとうとotōtoyounger brother — long "ō" (おう)
  • いもうとimōtoyounger sister — long "ō" (おう)

Read, holding the long vowels:

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