この・その・あの

## What it means この、その、あの mean "this," "that," and "that over there" — but unlike これ・それ・あれ, they always describe a specific noun standing right next to them, like "this pen" or "that station."

## When to use it **この** goes with something near you, **その** with something near the listener, and **あの** with something far from both. Always put a noun directly after it: この 本 ("this book") or その 駅 ("that station"). You can never stop right after この・その・あの — a noun always has to follow.

## Don't confuse it with These look almost the same as **これ・それ・あれ**, but they work differently: これ・それ・あれ stand alone as the subject, while この・その・あの must be glued to a noun. A common beginner mistake is saying これ本 instead of この本 — remember, if a noun comes right after, switch to この・その・あの.