これは、なんですか
Kore wa, nan desu ka
What is this?

KORE

SORE

ARE

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これ Kore = 'this thing (near me)' / それ Sore = 'that thing (near you)' / あれ Are = 'that thing (over there)'.
この Kono = 'this... (e.g. this book)' / その Sono = 'that... (near you)' / あの Ano = 'that...(over there)'.

• But in English we only have two words for these 6 ideas - 'this' or 'that'.
• Carefully read the examples below, and see if you can figure it out.

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BOY:
これ は、なん です か。
Kore wa, nan desu ka.

• What's this?

GIRL:
​それ は、トイレ です。
Sore wa, toire desu.

• That is a toilet.

BOY:
この トイレ は、わしき です か。
Kono toire wa, washiki desu ka.

• Is this toilet Japanese-style?

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GIRL:
あれ は、なん です か。
Are wa, nan desu ka.

• What's that?

BOY:
あれ は、ロボット です。
Are wa, robotto desu.

• That is a robot.

GIRL:
あの ロボット は、かわいい です ね。
Ano robotto wa, kawaii desu ne.

• That robot is cute, isn't it.

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You probably noticed that これ kore / それ sore  / あれ are can stand alone - they are followed by a particle (は in the examples above), rather than a noun.
この kono  / その sono /  あの ano are followed by a noun. この ロボット kono robotto ’this robot’, or その トイレ sono toire 'that toilet' (nearer to you than to me), or おの いえ ano ie 'that house' (over there - not near to either of us).