The demonstrative pronouns

Singular demonstrative pronouns

这

is used to indicate objects close to the speaker. 那

is used to indicate objects far away from the speaker.

They can be used as: 1) an attribute. In this case, they are placed before nouns. A measure word is placed between 这/那 and a noun.

Scheme

这/那

measure word

subject

Examples

那个人是我的老板

That man is my boss

nà ge rén shì wǒ de lǎobǎn

我要这张照片

I want this photo

wǒ yào zhè zhāng zhàopiàn

2) a subject.

In this case, pronouns are not followed by nouns. The pronouns are followed by a predicate expressed by a verb or an adjective, so there is no need for a measure word.

Scheme

这/那

predicate

object

Examples

这是我妈妈

This is my mother

zhè shì wǒ māma

那不是我的问题

That's not my problem

nà bú shì wǒ de wèntí

3) an object with a preposition before it.

Examples

我对这很满意

I'm very happy with it

wǒ duì zhè hěn mǎnyì

我们想干点和那不一样的

We want to do something different from that

wǒmen xiǎng gàn diǎn hé nà bù yíyàng de

The additional meaning of 那 "in that case"

If 那 is placed before the subject at the beginning of a simple sentence or at the beginning of the second part of a compound sentence, it is translated as "then". 那 is followed by the solution or result of the situation mentioned before.

Examples

他不听，那我应该怎么办？

He doesn't listen, so what should I do?

tā bù tīng, nà wǒ yīnggāi zěnme bàn

我不能去。—— 那我也不去

I can't go. — Then I won't go either

wǒ bù néng qù — nà wǒ yě bú qù

In Chinese colloquial speech, 那个 is often used as a filler word in pauses and is pronounced nèi ge. In English, it can be translated as "well...", "so...".

Examples

我吃了一份那个……意大利面

I ate a portion of... well... pasta

wǒ chī le yí fèn nèi ge... yìdàlì miàn

Plural demonstrative pronouns

You can turn the singular form 这 and 那 into the plural form by adding the suffix 些

. This gives you the plural demonstrative pronouns 这些

and 那些

Examples

这些学生很聪明

These students are very smart

zhèxiē xuéshēng hěn cōngmíng

那些医生很有名

Those doctors are very famous

nàxiē yīshēng hěn yǒumíng

Pay attention

In this case, it is not necessary to add the suffix 们

to the noun, as the pronoun already indicates the plural.

这 and 那 form different pronouns and adverbs

The adverbs 这么

and 那么

are translated as "so", "such", "like that" and are usually used in spoken language. 这么 is used when the subject is close by (either in space or in time). 那么 is used when the subject is far away (or in the past). They are placed before adjectives or verbs denoting feelings and emotions.

Pay attention

那么 is usually used in negative sentences.

Examples

这么贵！

So expensive!

zhème guì

我从来没见过那么懒的人

I've never met such a lazy person

wǒ cónglái méi jiànguò nàme lǎn de rén

这样

and 那样

have a similar meaning, but are used more in writing.

Examples

这里的楼这样高

The buildings here are so high

zhèli de lóu zhèyàng gāo

那个人那样聪明，他写了一百多个文章

That man is so smart. He has written over a hundred articles

nà ge rén nàyàng cōngmíng, tā xiě le yì bǎi duō ge wénzhāng

这样 and 那样 also mean "so", "like that", "this way".

Examples

你怎么敢这样对我说？

How dare you say that to me?

nǐ zěnme gǎn zhèyàng duì wǒ shuō

我没有那样说，他们骗你

I didn't say that, they lied to you

wǒ méiyǒu nàyàng shuō, tāmen piàn nǐ

Pay attention

这么, 那么, 这样, 那样 cannot be used with adverbs of degree. For example, 很

, 太

The adverbs of place 这儿

and 这里

"here" are formed with 这.

Pay attention

这儿 is used in northeastern Mandarin, while 这里 is used in the southwestern Mandarin.

Examples

他也在这里

He is here too

tā yě zài zhèlǐ

这儿人很多

There are a lot of people here

zhèr rén hěn duō

The adverbs of place 那儿

and 那里

"there" are formed with 那.

Examples

那儿是我们家

There's our home

nàr shì wǒmen jiā

爸爸在那里

Dad is over there

bàba zài nàli

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The demonstrative pronouns 本 and 此 Measure words The plural form

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