[Common Mistakes] “あの” can only be used for something both the speaker and listener know
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Today, I am going to share a homework correction from my JLPT Course!
The student’s sentence is not correct. Can you find the mistake?
[Student’s sentence]
A：昨日、さくらレストランに行きました。
B：ああ、その店、おいしいですよね。
*A: きのう、さくらレストランにいきました。
B: ああ、そのみせ、おいしいですよね。
A: kinou sakura resutoran ni ikimashita.
B: aa, sono mise, oishii desu yone.
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[My correction]
ああ、その店、おいしいですよね。
→ああ、あの店、おいしいですよね。
aa, ano mise, oishii desu yone.
Oh, that restaurant is delicious.
’あ’ = something both the speaker and listener know.
‘そ’ = something the speaker knows, but the listener might not.
In this dialogue, the restaurant “Sakura Restaurant” is known to both speakers. Therefore, “あの” should be used instead of “その.”
Examples:
A：娘の担任は田中先生だそうです。
B：あの先生はやさしいですよ。
A: musume no tannin ha tanaka sensei dasou desu.
B: ano sensei wa yasashii desu yo.
A: My daughter’s homeroom teacher is Tanaka Sensei.
B: That teacher is kind.
A：「海辺のカフカ」という本、おもしろかったですよ。
B：その本、誰が書いたんですか。
A: 「umibe no kafuka」toiu hon, omoshirokatta desu yo.
B: sono hon, dare ga kaita ndesu ka.
A: The book called “Kafka on the Shore” was interesting.
B: Who wrote that book?
I hope my explanation helps you! 😊
I interact like the above correction with my JLPT All-in-One Course student. (Today’s homework sentence is from the N5, beginner level. Don’t know your Japanese level? Then take a level test here.) I can explain in English or Japanese, depending on your level.
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