Referring to unspecific things: これ, それ, あれ, どれ #

これ is used for referring to things that are close to the speaker ie. this thing right here.

これ は わたし の ペーン です (This is my pen).

それ is used for referring to things that are close to the person that the speaker is talking to ie. that thing next to them.

それ は わたし の ペーン です (That is my pen).

あれ is used for referring to things that are far away from both the speaker and their listener ie. that thing over there.

あれ は わたし の ペーン です (That over there is my pen).

どれ is used to ask which.

どれですか (Which is it?)

This should never be used to refer to people. Only use this to refer to (unspecific) things.

Referring to specific things: この,その,あの,どの + Noun #

These set of pronouns refer to specific things (unlike the previous section which refers to unspecific things).

この + Noun = This

この ほん は いくら ですか (How much is this book?)

その + Noun = That

その ほん は いくら ですか (How much is that book?)

あの + Noun = That over there

あの ほん は いくら ですか (How much is that book over there?)

どの + Noun = Which

どの ほん が にほんご ですか (Which book is japanese?)

Question words like どれ and なに cannot be followed by the particle は and must use が instead ie. なに が すき (What do you like?)

Referring to a point in place: ここ, そこ, あそこ, どこ #

ここ (here, near me)

そこ (there, near you)

あそこ (over there)

どこ (where)

だれ and だれの + Noun #

だれ means who and だれの means whose .

Noun + も #

In order to refer that something else is also true use the も particle after a noun.

ジユさん も がくせい です (Geo is a student too; Geo is a student also)

Negating a statement: じゃないです #

To negate a statement of the form X は Y です, where Y is a noun. Replace です with じゃないです.

やまださん は がくせい じゃないです (Mr. Yamada is not a student)

じゃないです is very casual. A more formal expression for ないです is ありません and an even more formal expression is to used the uncontracted version of じゃ which is では (dewa).

やまださん は がくせい じゃありません (Formal)

やまださん は がくせい ではありません (More formal)

~ね/~よ #

To seek the listener's confirmation end the statement with ね which is the same expression as asking right? in english.

よしださん は がくせい です ね (Mr. Yoshida is a student, right?)

これ は にく じゃないです ね (This is not meat, right?)

In order to express to the listener that you are fully confident about your statement end it with よ.

とんかつ は さかな じゃないです よ (I assure you that this "tonkatsu" is not fish).

Other Items #

In order to request items in general use the expression (を)ください (Please give me ).

(を) おねがいします too is used for requesting things but in a formal expression.