Japanese: Working with a Topic and Ko-So-A-Do

dore (どれ)

which one (3 or more options)

kore (これ)

this one (thing close to speaker)

sore (それ)

that one (thing close to listener)

are (あれ)

that thing/one over there (far from both)

docchi / dotchi (どっち)

which one (choosing between 2 options)

kocchi / kotchi (こっち)

this one, this way, over here

socchi / sotchi (そっち)

that one, that way, that place

acchi / atchi (あっち)

that way, that one over there

Nihongoga hanasemasu ka (にほんごがはなせますか。)

Can you speak Japanese?

Eigoga hanasemasu ka (えいごがはなせますか。)

Can you speak English?

Sukoshi (すこし。)

A little.

Zenzen (ぜんぜん。)

Not at all.

Nihongo o benkyou shiteimasu (にほんごおべんきょうしてます。)

I'm studying Japanese.

Topic Marker: wa (は)

Written as 'ha' but pronounced 'wa'; marks the sentence topic.

Structure with topic marker 'wa'

Topic + wa + question/statement

Kore wa nan desu ka (これはなんですか。)

What is this?

Sore wa kagami desu (それはかがみです。)

That is a mirror.

Are wa banana desu (あれはばななです。)

That (over there) is a banana.

Dore vs. Docchi

Dore is for 3+ items; Docchi is for 2 items.

Ko-So-A-Do: Ko (こ)

K = Klose to me

Ko-So-A-Do: So (そ)

S = Someone else is closer

Ko-So-A-Do: A (あ)

A = All the way over there (far from both)

Ko-So-A-Do: Do (ど)

D = Don't you know? (question word)