In Lesson 2 of GENKI I, you’ll learn how to ask questions about specific items and how to say something is not what you thought it was. These are essential for everyday conversation.
The “Ko-So-A-Do” Words
These words are used to point to things, and they change depending on how far the item is from both the speaker and the listener.
| Word Group | Meaning | Use Case | Example Sentence |
| ko- (これ/kore, この/kono) | This | Items near the speaker | これは 私の です。(This is mine.) この 本は 私の です。(This book is mine.) |
| so- (それ/sore, その/sono) | That | Items near the listener | それは 何ですか。(What is that [near you]?) その ペンは 誰のですか。(Whose pen is that [near you]?) |
| a- (あれ/are, あの/ano) | That (over there) | Items far from both | あれは 日本の 車ですか。(Is that [over there] a Japanese car?) あの 人は 誰ですか。(Who is that person [over there]?) |
| do- (どれ/dore, どの/dono) | Which? | Used for questions | どれが あなたの 傘ですか。(Which one is your umbrella?) どの 映画が 好きですか。(Which movie do you like?) |
Tip:
- これ・それ・あれ・どれ are used on their own (like “this one,” “that one”).
- この・その・あの・どの are always followed by a noun (like “this book,” “that car”).
The Negative Form: 「〜じゃないです」 (〜ja nai desu)
In Lesson 1, you learned how to say “X is Y” with 「〜です」. Now you’ll learn how to say “X is not Y.” The most common way to do this is with 「〜じゃないです」 (ja nai desu). This is a more casual version of 「〜ではありません」, and it’s what you’ll hear most often in everyday conversation.
The formula is:
X は Y じゃありません。 (X wa Y ja arimasen.) X は Y じゃないです。 (X wa Y ja nai desu.)
Let’s look at some examples:
- これは 傘 (かさ – umbrella) じゃないです。This is not an umbrella.
- 私 (わたし – I) は 学生 (がくせい – student) じゃないです。I am not a student.
- この 本 (ほん – book) は 私 (わたし – I) の じゃないです。This book is not mine.
This simple negative form is a crucial step in expanding your conversational abilities. By combining it with the “ko-so-a-do” words, you can ask and answer more specific questions about the world around you!
Shopping in Japanese: “Which one?” and “This is not it!”
Lesson 2 gives you the perfect tools to go shopping in Japan. You’ll learn how to ask questions about specific items and say what you don’t want.
1. The “Ko-So-A-Do” Shopping Guide
These words are essential for pointing to items in a store.
- これ (kore): “This one.” Use this for items you are holding or an item that is very close to you.
- これは いくらですか。 (kore wa ikura desu ka?)
- How much is this one?
- これは いくらですか。 (kore wa ikura desu ka?)
- それ (sore): “That one.” Use this for items near the shop staff or another person.
- すみません、それ を ください。 (sumimasen, sore o kudasai.)
- Excuse me, please give me that one.
- すみません、それ を ください。 (sumimasen, sore o kudasai.)
- あれ (are): “That one over there.” Use this for items far from both you and the staff.
- あれは 新しい カメラですか。 (are wa atarashii kamera desu ka?)
- Is that camera over there new?
- あれは 新しい カメラですか。 (are wa atarashii kamera desu ka?)
- どれ (dore): “Which one?” Use this to ask a question when there are many items.
- この かばん の 中で、どれが 一番 人気ですか。 (kono kaban no naka de, dore ga ichiban ninki desu ka?)
- Among these bags, which one is the most popular?
- この かばん の 中で、どれが 一番 人気ですか。 (kono kaban no naka de, dore ga ichiban ninki desu ka?)
2. Asking “Whose is this?” with「だれ」
The word だれ (dare) means “who.” To ask “whose something is,” you use 「だれの」. This is a perfect phrase for when you find an item in a store that might not belong to the shop.
The structure is simple:
これは だれ の Y ですか。 (kore wa dare no Y desu ka?) Whose Y is this?
- すみません、この 傘は だれのですか。 (sumimasen, kono kasa wa dare no desu ka?)
- Excuse me, whose umbrella is this?
3. “It’s Not This One!”: Using 「〜じゃないです」
When you’re trying to find the right item, you’ll need to say “no.” The negative form 「〜じゃないです」 (ja nai desu) is very useful.
- いいえ、この 色 (いろ – color) じゃないです。
- No, it’s not this color.
- はい、それは 私の (わたし – my) じゃないです。
- Yes, that’s not mine.
Talking about Locations: “Ko-So-A-Do” for Places
Just like with items, there’s a set of words to talk about locations. This is incredibly useful for shopping, especially when you need to ask where something is.
| Word Group | Meaning | Use Case | Example Sentence |
| koko | Here | A location near the speaker | ここは レストランですか。(Is this a restaurant [here]?) |
| soko | There | A location near the listener | そこに お手洗い(おてあらい)がありますか。(Is there a restroom [over there]?) |
| asoko | Over there | A location far from both people | あそこに デパートがあります。(There is a department store [over there].) |
| doko | Where? | Used to ask about a location | レジ (レジ – cash register) は どこ ですか。(Where is the cash register?) |
By mastering these phrases, you can confidently point to items, ask questions about them, and even tell the staff what you’re not looking for. Happy shopping!