こんな・そんな・あんな・どんな

The words こんな, そんな, あんな, and どんな are pre-noun modifiers that mean "this kind of," "that kind of," "that kind of (over there)," and "what kind of," respectively. They belong to the こそあど (ko-so-a-do) system and are placed directly before a noun to describe its nature or type.

こんな – this kind of (near the speaker)

Used to describe something close to the speaker, either physically or in the current context.

そんな – that kind of (near the listener / contextually known)

Used to describe something close to the listener, or something that has just been mentioned in conversation.

It is also common to express surprise or disbelief at what someone has said:

あんな – that kind of (far from both / remembered)

Used to describe something distant from both the speaker and the listener, often referring to a shared memory or something both parties are aware of.

どんな – what kind of (question)

Used in questions to ask about the nature or type of something.

Relationship to このような / そのような

こんな, そんな, あんな, and どんな are the **casual equivalents** of このような, そのような, あのような, and どのような. In formal writing or polite speech, the longer forms are preferred, while こんな/そんな/あんな/どんな are natural in everyday conversation.

Emotional nuance

These words often carry an emotional tone – surprise, admiration, frustration, or disbelief – depending on context.