Grammar · Pointing and place
これ, それ, あれ
The pattern
これ / それ / あれ / どれ
kore / sore / are / dore
Three distances, not two. これ is near me, それ is near you, あれ is away from both of us. どれ is the question word that completes the set.
The mistake to avoid
English collapses それ and あれ into 'that'. Getting this right immediately makes you sound less like a textbook.
Examples
Rōmaji help
これは何ですか。
これは なんですか。
kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this?
あれは駅です。
あれは えきです。
are wa eki desu.
That over there is the station.
それは私のかばんです。
それは わたしの かばんです。
sore wa watashi no kaban desu.
That is my bag.
どれがいいですか。
どれが いいですか。
dore ga ii desu ka.
Which one is good?