basic grammar of pointing words


I am having some trouble with _kore, sore, are, dore, dore no, kono, sono,
ano, dono, koko, soko_ and _doko_. I know what they mean but I am trying to
put them into sentence and the order of the particles is feeling like crap
shoot. Not sure if this question fits this site but if does not; feel free to
down vote it and ill go look somewhere else for help.

> あれはわたしのペンてす。

I am assuming in this case わたしのペン can be thought of a noun meaning "my pen"
then depending on _kore sore_ or _are wa_ we have "this is my pen", "that
(near you) is my pen" and "that (over there) is my pen"

Can we also say あれはまちんのペンてす. or あれはあなたのペンてす. meaning "that is ma-san's pen
(over there)" and "that is your pen (over there)"

What do we use このペンは for? How do we form だれのペンですか into "whose pen is
this?///is this your pen?"

Would also like an example of how to use _dono_ and _dore_ for peoples.




For the series of location words colloquially known as the こそあど (ko-so-a-do)
series, it's important to break these up into a few groups -- these groupings
will help you understand how to use these words better.

I'm going to group them first by their beginning:

  1. Beginning with こ
  2. Beginning with そ
  3. Beginning with あ
  4. Beginning with ど

Words beginning with こ:

> これ、この、ここ、こんな

These words have a "here" perspective from the speaker's point of view.

Words beginning with そ:

> それ、その、そこ、そんな

These words have a "there" (by the listener) perspective from the speaker's
point of view.

Words beginning with あ:

> あれ、あの、あそこ、あんな

These words have an "over there" (away from both the speaker and listener)
perspective from the speaker's point of view.

Words beginning with ど:

> どれ、どの、どこ、どんな

These words are question words about locations or items.

Now, I'm going to group them by their endings:

  1. Ending in れ
  2. Ending in の
  3. Ending in こ
  4. Ending in んな

In these groups, then you get:

  1. Ending in れ

> これ = This (indeterminate object)  
>  それ = That (indeterminate object)  
>  あれ = That [over there] (indeterminate object)  
>  どれ = Which (indeterminate object)

_Indeterminate object_ refers to an object that you are not calling by name.
Sentences using これ・それ・あれ typically are used in sentences where an object that
is unknown is explained, or when the object is understood by all parties and
needs no explanation. Consider these following sentences:

> これはあみさんのかばんです。  
>  This is Ami's (school) bag.
>
> それはわたしのみかんです。  
>  That is my orange.
>
> あれはわたしのすきなきっさてんです。  
>  That (over there) is the tea shop that I like.
>
> どれがとれるんですか。  
>  Which (thing) can I take?
>
> はい、これはあなたのものでしょう？  
>  Here, this belongs to you, doesn't it?

As you can see, you can use this to refer to an object that isn't being called
by name. In some of these sentences, the name of the object is given as part
of the explanation.

  2. Ending in の

> この = This (specific object)  
>  その = That (specific object)  
>  あの = That (specific, distant object over there)  
>  どの = Which (specific object)

By _specific object_ we refer to a specific target that is identified with the
location word. Sentences that use these words normally explain more about a
specific object or location in question. Consider the following:

> このみせは、おいしいラーメンがあるよ。  
>  This shop has delicious ramen, you know.
>
> そのくつはきれいでだいすきです。  
>  Those shoes are pretty and I like them a lot.
>
> あのとしょかんにはさがしているほんはありませんでした。  
>  That library did not have the book I was looking for.
>
> どのえんぴつがさくらさんのえんぴつですか。  
>  Which is Sakura's pencil?

Each of these sentences describe something more about a specific, given object
or location.

  3. Ending in こ

> ここ = this (place by the speaker) [or, "here"]  
>  そこ = that (place by the listener) [or, "there"]  
>  あそこ = that (place) [over there] (away from the speaker and listener)  
>  どこ = Which (place) [or, "where"]

These words refer to locations in reference to the speaker and the listener's
positions.

> ここのちかくには、じてんしゃやがあります。  
>  There is a bicycle shop near here.
>
> そこのてんきはどうですか。  
>  How is the weather there (over by you)?
>
> あそこはにんきのようふくのみせです。  
>  That (place over there) is a popular clothing shop.
>
> びょういんはどこですか。  
>  Where is the hospital?

  4. Ending in んな

This is probably the trickier of the bunch, and I might not do the explanation
justice. However, these have perspective as do the previous sets of words.
These words refer to collections of things. Think of the construction in
English that is "these (kinds of things)" and similar constructions.

> こんな = these (kinds of things) [or, "in this way"]  
>  そんな = those (kinds of things) [or "in that way"]  
>  あんな = those (kinds of things) [over there] [or, "in such a way"]  
>  どんな = Which kinds of things

あんな is a special word that refers to the kinds of things both unfamiliar for
speaker and listener. For that reason, it has similar perspectives as the
previous あ words. Also, words ending in んな can be used with specific or
indeterminate objects. When an object is given the same way that is used for
words ending in の, the collection is assumed to be like objects to the one
mentioned. Otherwise, it is assumed to be an assortment of things.

> こんなことはうれしいです。  
>  These kinds of things are fun.
>
> そんなにあやまらなくてもいいですよ。  
>  You don't have to apologize in that way, you know.
>
> あんなばしょにいきたくありませんか。  
>  Don't you want to go to a place like that?
>
> どんなえいががすきですか。  
>  Which kind of movies do you like?




For the series of location words colloquially known as the こそあど (ko-so-a-do)
series, it's important to break these up into a few groups -- these groupings
will help you understand how to use these words better.

I'm going to group them first by their beginning:

  1. Beginning with こ
  2. Beginning with そ
  3. Beginning with あ
  4. Beginning with ど

Words beginning with こ:

> これ、この、ここ、こんな

These words have a "here" perspective from the speaker's point of view.

Words beginning with そ:

> それ、その、そこ、そんな

These words have a "there" (by the listener) perspective from the speaker's
point of view.

Words beginning with あ:

> あれ、あの、あそこ、あんな

These words have an "over there" (away from both the speaker and listener)
perspective from the speaker's point of view.

Words beginning with ど:

> どれ、どの、どこ、どんな

These words are question words about locations or items.

Now, I'm going to group them by their endings:

  1. Ending in れ
  2. Ending in の
  3. Ending in こ
  4. Ending in んな

In these groups, then you get:

  1. Ending in れ

> これ = This (indeterminate object)  
>  それ = That (indeterminate object)  
>  あれ = That [over there] (indeterminate object)  
>  どれ = Which (indeterminate object)

_Indeterminate object_ refers to an object that you are not calling by name.
Sentences using これ・それ・あれ typically are used in sentences where an object that
is unknown is explained, or when the object is understood by all parties and
needs no explanation. Consider these following sentences:

> これはあみさんのかばんです。  
>  This is Ami's (school) bag.
>
> それはわたしのみかんです。  
>  That is my orange.
>
> あれはわたしのすきなきっさてんです。  
>  That (over there) is the tea shop that I like.
>
> どれがとれるんですか。  
>  Which (thing) can I take?
>
> はい、これはあなたのものでしょう？  
>  Here, this belongs to you, doesn't it?

As you can see, you can use this to refer to an object that isn't being called
by name. In some of these sentences, the name of the object is given as part
of the explanation.

  2. Ending in の

> この = This (specific object)  
>  その = That (specific object)  
>  あの = That (specific, distant object over there)  
>  どの = Which (specific object)

By _specific object_ we refer to a specific target that is identified with the
location word. Sentences that use these words normally explain more about a
specific object or location in question. Consider the following:

> このみせは、おいしいラーメンがあるよ。  
>  This shop has delicious ramen, you know.
>
> そのくつはきれいでだいすきです。  
>  Those shoes are pretty and I like them a lot.
>
> あのとしょかんにはさがしているほんはありませんでした。  
>  That library did not have the book I was looking for.
>
> どのえんぴつがさくらさんのえんぴつですか。  
>  Which is Sakura's pencil?

Each of these sentences describe something more about a specific, given object
or location.

  3. Ending in こ

> ここ = this (place by the speaker) [or, "here"]  
>  そこ = that (place by the listener) [or, "there"]  
>  あそこ = that (place) [over there] (away from the speaker and listener)  
>  どこ = Which (place) [or, "where"]

These words refer to locations in reference to the speaker and the listener's
positions.

> ここのちかくには、じてんしゃやがあります。  
>  There is a bicycle shop near here.
>
> そこのてんきはどうですか。  
>  How is the weather there (over by you)?
>
> あそこはにんきのようふくのみせです。  
>  That (place over there) is a popular clothing shop.
>
> びょういんはどこですか。  
>  Where is the hospital?

  4. Ending in んな

This is probably the trickier of the bunch, and I might not do the explanation
justice. However, these have perspective as do the previous sets of words.
These words refer to collections of things. Think of the construction in
English that is "these (kinds of things)" and similar constructions.

> こんな = these (kinds of things) [or, "in this way"]  
>  そんな = those (kinds of things) [or "in that way"]  
>  あんな = those (kinds of things) [over there] [or, "in such a way"]  
>  どんな = Which kinds of things

あんな is a special word that refers to the kinds of things both unfamiliar for
speaker and listener. For that reason, it has similar perspectives as the
previous あ words. Also, words ending in んな can be used with specific or
indeterminate objects. When an object is given the same way that is used for
words ending in の, the collection is assumed to be like objects to the one
mentioned. Otherwise, it is assumed to be an assortment of things.

> こんなことはうれしいです。  
>  These kinds of things are fun.
>
> そんなにあやまらなくてもいいですよ。  
>  You don't have to apologize in that way, you know.
>
> あんなばしょにいきたくありませんか。  
>  Don't you want to go to a place like that?
>
> どんなえいががすきですか。  
>  Which kind of movies do you like?

