Japanese has a neat four-way system for "this/that/which" words. The prefix tells you where something is relative to the speaker and listener. Once you learn the pattern, every word in the family clicks into place.
Spatial reference diagram
Click a zone to see which prefix applies and why.
Full reference table
| Category | こ (here/this) | そ (there/that) | あ (over there) | ど (which?) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thing | これ | それ | あれ | どれ |
| Thing (before noun) | この | その | あの | どの |
| Place | ここ | そこ | あそこ | どこ |
| Direction / person (polite) | こちら | そちら | あちら | どちら |
| Direction (casual) | こっち | そっち | あっち | どっち |
| Way / manner | こう | そう | ああ | どう |
| Kind / type | こんな | そんな | あんな | どんな |
Examples in sentences
これ・それ・あれ・どれ (thing pronoun)
この・その・あの・どの (modifier, before noun)
ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ (place)
こんな・そんな・あんな・どんな (kind/type)
これ vs この: the key difference
これ/それ/あれ/どれ stand alone as pronouns. この/その/あの/どの must be followed by a noun.
Pronoun (stands alone)
これは本です。
This is a book.
Modifier (before noun)
この本はおもしろい。
This book is interesting.
そ in conversation: shared knowledge
In dialogue, そ- words can refer to something the listener just said or something both people know, even if it's not physically near either person.
A：新しい映画を見た？
A: Did you see the new movie?
B：その映画はまだ見てない。
B: I haven't seen that movie yet. (= the one you mentioned)
Memory trick: こ=close (to me), そ=second person (near you), あ=away (from both), ど=doubt (question). The pattern works for every word in the family.
Go deeper dedicated sheets
こちら/どちら and こっち/どっち have enough nuance to deserve their own sheet. Check them out: