What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of are (that thing far from both speaker and listener), o (the object marker particle) and katte (the te-form of the verb kau, meaning to buy).
Which one should you use?
Use are (that one) when the object is far from both the speaker and the listener. Use sore (that one) if the object is near the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form あれを買って is an informal request used with friends, family or people of lower social status. For more formal situations, you can say それを買いたいです (I want to buy that) or あのものを買いたいです (I want to buy that thing over there). Another informal way to express desire is それ買いたい (I want to buy that).
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding kudasai to the end of the te-form, creating あれを買ってください, makes the request more polite and complete.
How do you pronounce it?
are o katte
Did you know?
- The word kau (to buy) is a homophone for the word meaning 'to keep or raise a pet', though they use different kanji.
- In Japanese, 'that' is not just about distance, but about who owns the object's space. If you use あれ (are) for something your friend is holding, it can sound as if you are treating their personal space as a distant, disconnected landscape.
- The word are is sometimes used to refer to something that both people know well, even if the object is not physically present or visible.
Examples in context
- あれを買って。Are o katte.Buy that one.
- あそこに置いてある、あれを買って。Asoko ni oite aru, are o katte.Buy that one over there.
- プレゼントに、あれを買って。Purezento ni, are o katte.Buy that one as a present.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are looking at items on a store shelf.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵、あれを買って。Himari, are o katte.Himari, buy that one.
- 陽葵 Himariあれ？いいの？Are? Ii no?That one? Are you sure?
- 蓮 Renうん、あれがすごくかっこいいよ。Un, are ga sugoku kakkoii yo.Yeah, that one is really cool.
- 陽葵 Himariわかった、じゃあ買おうね。Wakatta, jaa kaou ne.Okay, let's buy it then.
