Lesson 02 - Grammar

Demonstratives

Minna no Nihongo

Lesson Sections

Grammar

Lesson 02: Demonstratives

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Lesson 2 – Grammar Notes

This file contains grammar explanations for Minna no Nihongo Lesson 2, with Japanese examples (with spaces and furigana in parentheses) and English translations.

1. これ／それ／あれ (Demonstratives)

(This / That (near listener) / That (far from both))

これ refers to a thing near the speaker
それ refers to a thing near the listener
あれ refers to a thing far from both the speaker and the listener

Examples:

🎯

それは辞書(じしょ) ですか。

Is that a dictionary?

📝

これをください。

I'll take this. (lit. Please give this to me.)

2. この N／その N／あの N (Demonstrative Adjectives)

(This N / That N (near listener) / That N (far from both))

この N refers to a thing or person near the speaker
その N refers to a thing or person near the listener
あの N refers to a thing or person far from both the speaker and the listener

Examples:

📝

この本(ほん) はわたしのです。

This book is mine.

🎯

あの方(かた) はどなたですか。

Who is that person?

3. そうです／そうじゃありません／ちがいます (Affirmative/Negative Responses)

(Yes, it is / No, it isn't / No, it's different)

はい、そうです is the affirmative answer to a question
いいえ、そうじゃありません is the negative answer (casual)
いいえ、ちがいます is another way to say "No, it isn't"

Examples:

❓

それはテレホンカードですか。

Is that a telephone card?

…はい、そうです。

…Yes, it is. (lit. Yes, it's so.)

🎯

それはテレホンカードですか。

Is that a telephone card?

…いいえ、そうじゃありません。

…No, it isn't. (lit. No, it's not so.)

🎯

それはテレホンカードですか。

Is that a telephone card?

…いいえ、ちがいます。

…No, it isn't.

4. S1 か、S2 か (Alternative Questions)

(Is it S1 or S2?)

This pattern asks the listener to choose between two alternatives
The answer states the chosen option directly
Neither はい nor いいえ is used in the answer

Examples:

🎯

これは「９」ですか、「７」ですか。

Is this a "9" or a "7"?

…「９」です。

…It's a "9".

5. N1 の N2 (Extended Uses)

(N1 modifies N2 - additional meanings)

In Lesson 1, you learned that の connects two nouns when N1 modifies N2. In Lesson 2, you learn two additional uses:

1) N1 explains what N2 is about (topic/subject matter)

Examples:

📝

これはコンピューターの本(ほん) です。

This is a book on computers.

2) N1 indicates who owns N2 (possession)

Examples:

📝

これはわたしの本(ほん) です。

This is my book.

📝

あれは佐藤(さとう) さんのかばんです。

That is Ms. Sato's bag.

Note: N2 is sometimes omitted when it is obvious. When N2 means a person, however, you cannot omit it.

6. の substituting for a noun

(の replacing a previously mentioned noun)

の can replace a noun that has already been mentioned
This substitution is only possible for things, not for people

Examples:

🎯

あれはだれのかばんですか。

Whose bag is that?

…佐藤(さとう) さんのです。

…It's Ms. Sato's.

🎯

このかばんはあなたのですか。

Is this bag yours?

…いいえ、わたしのじゃありません。

…No, it's not mine.

🎯

ミラーさんは IMC の社員(しゃいん) ですか。

Is Mr. Miller an employee of IMC?

…はい、IMC の社員です。

…Yes, he is.

Note: You cannot say "はい、IMC のです" because の cannot substitute for people (社員).

7. お〜 (Polite Prefix)

(Polite prefix for respectful speech)

The prefix お is attached to words when speaking politely
Used to show respect in formal situations

Examples:

📝

おみやげ

souvenir (polite)

📝

おさけ

sake (polite)

8. そうですか (Understanding Response)

(I see / Is that so?)

This expression is used when the speaker receives new information and shows understanding
Pronounced with a falling intonation
A polite way to acknowledge what someone has told you

Examples:

🎯

この傘(かさ) はあなたのですか。

Is this umbrella yours?

…いいえ、違(ちが)います。シュミットさんのです。

…No, it's Mr. Schmidt's.

そうですか。

I see.