JLPT N5 Grammar: この / その / あの / どの + Noun — Demonstrative Adjectives

JLPT N5 Grammar: この / その / あの / どの + Noun

Demonstrative adjectives — “this thing” / “that thing” / “which thing”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽうこの・その・あの・どの解説かいせつ (連体詞れんたいし・こそあど)

⏱️ Study time: 4–6 minutes

この・その・あの・どの are used before a noun to say "this book", "that bag", "which person". They follow the same kosoado pattern as これ・それ・あれ・どれ, but they always attach to a noun — they never stand alone.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: You're pointing at a bag near the listener. How do you say "That bag is heavy"?

Answer: B (そのかばん). その = that (near the listener). この = this (near me), あの = that over there (far from both).

Quick Summary

この + Noun
this ~ (near speaker)

その + Noun
that ~ (near listener)

あの + Noun
that ~ over there (far)

どの + Noun
which ~ ? (question)

📝 Kosoado Adjectives (連体詞)

この + Noun = this [noun] (close to speaker / こ = this)

その + Noun = that [noun] (close to listener / そ = that)

あの + Noun = that [noun] over there (far from both / あ = that over there)

どの + Noun = which [noun]? (question / ど = which)

⚠️ These are pre‑nominal adjectives — they must always be followed by a noun. They cannot end a sentence alone.

🧠 Need the standalone pronouns? See これ / それ / あれ / どれ →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What are この・その・あの・どの?

この、その、あの、どの are pre‑nominal demonstrative adjectives (連体詞). They always come before a noun and describe which specific thing you are talking about. They follow the same kosoado logic as これ・それ・あれ・どれ.

They cannot stand alone — a noun must always follow.
The noun can be any object, person, place, or concept.
Use どの when asking "which [noun]?" out of a group.

この本ほんはおもしろいです。このほんはおもしろいです。Kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
This book is interesting.

⚡ Kosoado Adjective Chart — Proximity Guide

Prefix	Adjective	Meaning	Distance from speaker
こ (ko)	この	this ~	Close to speaker
そ (so)	その	that ~ (near you)	Close to listener / moderate
あ (a)	あの	that ~ over there	Far from both
ど (do)	どの	which ~ ?	Question (unknown)

Examples & Mini Dialogue

この車くるまは高たかいですか。このくるまはたかいですか。Kono kuruma wa takai desu ka.
Is this car expensive?

✅ The car is physically near the speaker (or the topic is being introduced).

あの人ひとはだれですか。あのひとはだれですか。Ano hito wa dare desu ka.
Who is that person over there?

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: どのペンが使つかいますか。どのぺんがつかいますか。Dono pen ga tsukaimasu ka.
B: その黒くろいペンをお願ねがいします。そのくろいぺんをおねがいします。Sono kuroi pen o onegai shimasu.

⚡ この (kono) vs これ (kore) — Key Difference

Form	Type	Usage	Example
この	Adjective	Must be followed by a noun	この本ほん (this book)
これ	Pronoun	Stands alone, no noun after it	これは本ほんです (This is a book)

⚠️ Critical JLPT Trap: Never say これ本 or このは本. これ is the full pronoun; この must attach directly to a noun with no particle in between.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ これ本ほんは高たかいです。

✓ この本ほんは高たかいです。 (これ is a pronoun; この is the adjective form)

✕ このは本ほんです。

✓ これは本ほんです。 (この cannot be followed by a particle)

✕ あの is used for something near the listener.

✓ Use その for things near the listener; あの is only for things far from both speaker and listener.

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. You are holding a pen. You say "This pen is mine."

2. Which word means "which book"?

3. A person is standing far away from both you and your friend. You ask "Who is that person?"

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: The この・その・あの・どの set is tested almost as often as これ・それ・あれ・どれ. Remember: この must always have a noun after it — it can never end a sentence.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between この and これ?

この is an adjective — it must be followed by a noun (この本 = this book). これ is a pronoun — it replaces the whole noun phrase (これは本です = This is a book).

Can この be used by itself?

No. この must always have a noun after it. If you want to say "this" without a noun, use これ.

How do I ask "which one" without a noun?

Use どれ (which one?) — the standalone question pronoun. Use どの + noun (どの本 = which book?) when you want to specify the category.

Continue Learning

Next: ここ / そこ / あそこ / どこ — location demonstratives.

Learn locations →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

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