In Japanese, the demonstrative and interrogative pronouns and adjective are very closely related in formation to the adverbs that carry similar ideas about the place, manner, and sort. All of these words are formed from four root こそあど, to which regular endings are added, to form a constant and logical pattern.
Ko, こ : hereness, nearness
So, そ : thereness, not far off, near person addressed
A, あ : thereness, but at a distance
Do, ど : question or doubt
From htese roots are made demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative adjectives, phrases of type, adverbs of manner, adverbs of location, adverbs of motion, indefinite pronouns, nagative pronouns, and many other forms.
re れ : to indicate a thing
no の : to indicate demonstrative adjective
nna んな : to indicate type of thing, “such a, this kind of ”
ko こ : location
chira ちら : direction, motion towards, or preference.
The table below shows how simple this process is. These words do not change to indicate singular or plural, nor do they have different forms to indicate gender, sex, or the role of the word within the sentence. For example, “Kore” may mean “this” “these” ” them”.
When you are referring to persons, it is considered courteous to use combination of hito (meaning “man”, “person”) or kata (meaning “side”) with Kono この sono その ano あの dono どの
The forms with kata are more courteous than hito
この方が鈴木さんです。Kono kata ga Suzuki san desu. This is Mr. Suzuki.
これが娘です。 Kore ga musume desu. This is my daughter.