What is the difference between その and あの?


Superficially, I get the sense that あの is for something far away from both
speaker and listener, and その is for something closer to the listener than
speaker. However, I seem to get in trouble when dealing with time and past
events, so I'm wondering if someone can provide a more thorough explanation of
the difference?




In **conversation** , you switch between **あの** and **その** depending on
whether or not the subject is known by both of the speakers, or only one.

> 話し手も相手も共通に知っている場合 ー＞「あ」
>
> When both the speaker and listener know the subject -> "あ"
>
> どちらか一方が知っている場合 ー＞ 「そ」
>
> When only the speaker or listener knows the subject -> "そ"

For example:

> A: 昨日久しぶりに山田さんに会ったよ。 _kinou hisashiburi ni yamada san ni atta yo._
>
> B: えっ、山田さん？ **その** 人、だれ？ _ee, yamada san? **sono** hito, dare?_
>
> A: ほら、大きくて派手な眼鏡をかけている人。 _hora, ookikute hadena megane wo kaketeiru hito._
>
> B: ああ、 **あの** 人ね、知っている。 _aa, **ano** hito ne, shitteiru._

This can simply be used for time and events as well.

When the time is only known by one speaker.

> A: ２年前、日本に行きましたよ。 **その** 時、日本語がぜんぜん話せませんでした。 _2 nen mae, nihonn ni
> ikimashita yo. **sono** toki, nihongo ga zenzen hanasemasen deshita._
>
> B: そうなんですか。 _sou nan desu ka_

Or when the time/event is known by both.

> A: 子供の頃、一緒に野球をやっていた時を覚えてる？ _kodomo no koro, issho ni yakyuu wo yatteita toki
> wo oboeteru?_
>
> B: うん、 **あの** 時楽しかったな〜 _un, **ano** toki tanoshikatta na~_

The majority of this comes from the text book 「中級を学ぼう」.

There is also the use of 「この」and「その」in writing, which refer to previously
mentioned things, but I think they are outside the scope of this question.




In **conversation** , you switch between **あの** and **その** depending on
whether or not the subject is known by both of the speakers, or only one.

> 話し手も相手も共通に知っている場合 ー＞「あ」
>
> When both the speaker and listener know the subject -> "あ"
>
> どちらか一方が知っている場合 ー＞ 「そ」
>
> When only the speaker or listener knows the subject -> "そ"

For example:

> A: 昨日久しぶりに山田さんに会ったよ。 _kinou hisashiburi ni yamada san ni atta yo._
>
> B: えっ、山田さん？ **その** 人、だれ？ _ee, yamada san? **sono** hito, dare?_
>
> A: ほら、大きくて派手な眼鏡をかけている人。 _hora, ookikute hadena megane wo kaketeiru hito._
>
> B: ああ、 **あの** 人ね、知っている。 _aa, **ano** hito ne, shitteiru._

This can simply be used for time and events as well.

When the time is only known by one speaker.

> A: ２年前、日本に行きましたよ。 **その** 時、日本語がぜんぜん話せませんでした。 _2 nen mae, nihonn ni
> ikimashita yo. **sono** toki, nihongo ga zenzen hanasemasen deshita._
>
> B: そうなんですか。 _sou nan desu ka_

Or when the time/event is known by both.

> A: 子供の頃、一緒に野球をやっていた時を覚えてる？ _kodomo no koro, issho ni yakyuu wo yatteita toki
> wo oboeteru?_
>
> B: うん、 **あの** 時楽しかったな〜 _un, **ano** toki tanoshikatta na~_

The majority of this comes from the text book 「中級を学ぼう」.

There is also the use of 「この」and「その」in writing, which refer to previously
mentioned things, but I think they are outside the scope of this question.

