Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| この | kono | [ko̞no̞] (narrow) | singular, synonym, synonym of |
| これらの | korera-no |
In Japanese, this can be handled by a single form that covers both singular and plural nouns or by a specific plural form when modifying a noun.
What does it mean word for word?
The plural pronoun これら is formed by adding the suffix ら to the pronoun これ to indicate a plural group.
Which one should you use?
While English distinguishes between 'this' and 'these', the Japanese form この does not change its form to indicate number. It can be used for both singular and plural nouns depending on the context. However, if you want to use a form specifically intended to be plural when modifying a noun, you should use これらの.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form この functions as both 'this' and 'these' and can modify both singular and plural nouns. For a strictly plural construction used to modify a noun, use これらの.
How do you pronounce it?
kono
Did you know?
- The word この shares a phonetic history with the number nine. In ancient Japanese, the term for nine was 'kokono', which is believed to be the ancestor of the modern demonstrative.
- Japanese has a system of 'demonstratives' based on distance from the speaker. While この refers to things near the speaker, その refers to things near the listener and あの refers to things far from both.
- The plural suffix ら used in これら is a double-edged sword. When used to refer to a group of people, it can sound dismissive or blunt, almost as if you are grouping them as mere objects.
Examples in context
- この本は重い。These books are heavy.This example shows how この can be used to refer to plural books.Tatoeba #219601 by bunbuku, translation #2764076 by CK
- この靴どう思う？What do you think of these shoes?This example shows how この can be used to ask about plural shoes.Tatoeba #4052864 by small_snow, translation #4052284 by CK
- この靴も嫌だな。I don't like these shoes either.This example shows how この can be used to express a dislike for plural shoes.Tatoeba #10097826 by small_snow, translation #9764577 by CK
- 431 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youta and Himari are looking at clothes at a store.
- 陽太 Yotaこのシャツはいくらですか？Kono shatsu wa ikura desu ka?How much are these shirts?
- 陽葵 Himariそれは二千円です。Sore wa nisen-en desu.Those are two thousand yen.
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、この色をください。Jaa, kono iro o kudasai.Then, I'll take these colors.
- 陽葵 Himariわかりました。Wakarimashita.Understood.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “these” translations and entries この, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries この, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
