Ko-So-A-Do （こそあど）

Kosoado （こそあど） is actually a mnemonic for this topic.
I have also include this drawing to represent the Kosoado, hopefully you find it useful.

これ ・ それ ・ あれ ・ どれ (kore - sore - are - dore)

>> We use these when talking/referring to an item which name we are not sure of.

kosoado + re （こそあど ＋れ）

これ (kore) - this, close to you (speaker)
それ (sore) - that, close to listener
あれ (are) - that over there (far from both)
どれ (dore) - which?

Example:
これはいくらですか。(kore wa ikura desu ka)
 How much is this?

それは三千円です。(sore wa sanzen en desu)
 That is 3000 yen.

どれが田中さんのけいたいでんわですか。(dore ga Nakata-san no keitai denwa desu ka)
 Which is Nakata's cellphone?

あれです。 (are desu)
 It is that (one).

Note: As どれ (dore) is a question word, it CANNOT be followed by は (wa), so instead it uses が (ga). You may notice the same happened with なに(nani) back in the previous post

この ・ その ・ あの ・ どの (kono - sono - ano - dono)

>> To be more specific than kore, sore, are and dore; we can use the following with a noun.

kosoado + no （こそあど ＋の） + NOUN

この... (kono) - this... , close to you (speaker)
その... (sono) - that... , close to listener
あの... (ano) - that... over there, (far from both)
どの... (dono) - which...?

Example:

このかさはいくらですか。(kono kasa wa ikura desu ka)
 How much is this umbrella?

そのかさは三千円です。(sono kasa wa sanzen en desu)
 That umbrella is 3000 yen.

あのときはほんとうにうれしかったです。(ano toki wa hontouni ureshikatta desu)
 (I) was really happy that time.

どのかさが三千円ですか。(dono kasa ga sanzen en desu ka)
 Which umbrella is 3000 yen?

Note: The same happens to どの (doko) which is also a question word, and as such its followed by が (ga).

ここ ・ そこ ・ あそこ ・ どこ (koko - soko - asoko - doko)

>> The following are used when referring to place/location

kosoado + ko （こそあど ＋こ）

ここ (koko) - here , close to you (speaker)
そこ (soko) - there , close to listener
あそこ (asoko) - over there, (far from both)
どこ (doko) - where?
  
Note:There is a small exception for asoko which is instead of ako

Example:
私はここにいる。(watashi wa koko ni iru)
 I am here.

そこはさむいです。(soko wa samui desu)
 It is cold there.

すみません、上野駅はどこですか。(sumimasen, Ueno-eki wa doko desu ka)
 Excuse me, where is Ueno Station?

あそこです。(asoko desu)
 It is over there.


This topic covers on 3 uses with kosoado, however there are still a few other uses of kosoado which will be covered in later posts.

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Vocabulary たんご 

	いくら	ikura	How much?
けいたい電話	けいたいでんわ	keitai denwa	Cellphone
傘	かさ	kasa	Umbrella
本当に	ほんとうに	hontouni	Really
車	くるま	kuruma	Car
嬉しい	うれしい	ureshii	Happy
駅	えき	eki	Train station