Thanks for that link Neil, I’d quite forgotten when I’d learned this (or not learned as was the case) and I think I understand now the basic difference:
これは is used when you only want to identify a noun/object as in これ は えんぴつ です。- This is a pencil.
この is used when you are describing that noun/object with an accompanying adjective この えんぴつ べんり です. – This is a convenient pencil.
In English これは and この both essentially mean ‘this’ but in Japanese they have a distinction depending on whether you’re describing the noun/object or not, a distinction that just isn’t there in English. I’m guessing a Japanese person would probably understand you if you said これ は えんぴつ べんり です it probably just sounds off to them. I think that’s the gist of it; if I’m wrong I’d sure like to know.
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This reply was modified 11 years, 12 months ago by Mononoke.