Translation guide
In Japanese, 'those' is usually expressed with the demonstrative あれら or それら, but these are not used as frequently as 'those' in English. Often, the context makes the reference clear without a direct equivalent, or other structures are preferred.
Pointing out or referring to multiple items that are distant from both the speaker and the listener.
あれらを取ってください。
Please pass me those.
When referring to people or animate objects, あの followed by a noun and たち (or ら) is more natural than あれら.
あの人たちは誰ですか。
Who are those people?
If the items are clear from context, Japanese often omits the subject or object entirely. This is very common and natural.
（あれらは）いくらですか。
How much are those?
Referring back to multiple items that were mentioned earlier in the conversation or text.
Used for 'those' when referring to things previously mentioned, especially in written or formal contexts. それら points to items related to the listener or the discourse.
それらは重要な問題です。
Those are important issues.
Can also be used anaphorically when the items are shared knowledge between speaker and listener, but それら is more common for discourse reference.
昨日見た映画、あれらは面白かった。
Those movies we saw yesterday were interesting.
Instead of using a pronoun, simply repeat the noun or use a descriptive phrase. This is often more natural in Japanese.
その本は高いです。
Those books are expensive.
Referring to a group of people in a polite or respectful manner.
Polite way to say 'those people'. 方々 (かたがた) is the honorific plural of 方 (かた, person).
あの方々はどなたですか。
Who are those people?
Can be used to refer to a person or group in a polite, indirect way, similar to 'that person/those people'.
あちらが田中様でいらっしゃいます。
Those are Mr./Ms. Tanaka.
Used in patterns like 'those who...' or 'those of...'.
Attach 人たち (ひとたち) to a modifier to mean 'those people who...'. More natural than a direct pronoun.
遅れた人たちは入れません。
Those who are late will not be admitted.
For inanimate objects, もの (物) can be used after a modifier to mean 'those things which...'.
必要なものは全部買いました。
I bought all those things that are necessary.
While あれら and それら are direct translations, they sound stiff or overly precise in casual conversation. Often, Japanese speakers will use あの＋noun or simply omit the pronoun when context is clear.
あの靴、かわいいね。
Those shoes are cute.
あれら is for things distant from both speaker and listener (physical or psychological). それら is for things closer to the listener or previously mentioned in discourse. In many cases, repeating the noun with その or あの is more natural.