この・その・あの・どの

These demonstratives always come with a noun after them: この本 "this book," その辞書 "that dictionary," あの人 "that person over there," どの傘 "which umbrella." Distance works the same as the これ・それ・あれ set: near the speaker → この, near the listener → その, far from both → あの.

Unlike これ・それ・あれ (which stand alone as nouns), この・その・あの・どの never stand by themselves — they always need a noun after them. The sentence このは本です is wrong; it should be これは本です or この本は….

Examples

• この本(ほん)は面白(おもしろ)いです。

  This book is interesting.

• その辞書(じしょ)は誰(だれ)のですか。

  Whose dictionary is that?

• あの人(ひと)は私(わたし)の先生(せんせい)です。

  That person over there is my teacher.

Related patterns

• これ・それ・あれ・どれ
• どんな・どうやって・どのぐらい