Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

>>8
I'll bite on this.
ko- is always "this," something close to both the speaker and the addressee.
so- is "that thing close to you but far from me"
a- is "that thing far from both of us"
do- is used for questions "what thing" type stuff

Also, when you're talking about a memory or something like "that house I went to yesterday," so- is used when it is something you are familiar with but the addressee is not, and a- is used when you are both familiar. For example, if I went to Sapporo and stayed at the Weeaboo hotel, I'd say "sono Weeaboo Hotel," but if we'd gone together, I'd say "ano Weeaboo Hotel."