Thank you for your specific and detailed explanation.
What you are saying is that the use of "this" in the sentense gives the impression that I know exactly who it is, but for some reason I am not saying it clearly.

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us4gi

27 May

English (US)

It gives that impression sometimes, yes.
(Sometimes you're simply narrating a story and using it for effective narration, though.)

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Highly-rated answerer

sinog

27 May

Japanese

I see. I understand it well.
You were a big help!

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Yuki_Daruma

29 May

English (US)

@us4gi Well, everyone is a storyteller of their own story in one way or another. I mean, not everyone has the tendency to speak like a storyteller, for me I'm just doing it because it is fun also it helps me to keep track of the things I say.

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How do you say this in English (US)? I met this girl the other day.

I would especially like to ask about "this".
I read on a website that "this" has the same meaning as "a certain".
Can "this" be used in that way?

How do you say this in English (US)? I met this girl the other day.I would especially like to ask about "this".I read on a website that "this" has the same meaning as "a certain".Can "this" be used in that way? See a translation

Yes. It is very common, but it's only used in spoken/casual English.(Which is probably why it doesn't appear in textbooks in Japan, haha.)

Yes. It is very common, but it's only used in spoken/casual English.(Which is probably why it doesn't appear in textbooks in Japan, haha.)

@sinog I see. Then feel free to say "I met this girl the other day".But there's also a slightly more relaxed manner to say it, just in case you might be talking to someone and they said,"I met a girl recently",it means they're basically saying the same sentence you were asking about.

It gives that impression sometimes, yes.(Sometimes you're simply narrating a story and using it for effective narration, though.)

@us4gi Well, everyone is a storyteller of their own story in one way or another. I mean, not everyone has the tendency to speak like a storyteller, for me I'm just doing it because it is fun also it helps me to keep track of the things I say.

How do you say this in English (US)? I met this girl the other day.

I would especially like to ask about "this".
I read on a website that "this" has the same meaning as "a certain".
Can "this" be used in that way?

See a translation

Yes. It is very common, but it's only used in spoken/casual English.
(Which is probably why it doesn't appear in textbooks in Japan, haha.)

Yes. It is very common, but it's only used in spoken/casual English.
(Which is probably why it doesn't appear in textbooks in Japan, haha.)

@sinog I see. Then feel free to say "I met this girl the other day".
But there's also a slightly more relaxed manner to say it, just in case you might be talking to someone and they said,
"I met a girl recently",
it means they're basically saying the same sentence you were asking about.

It gives that impression sometimes, yes.
(Sometimes you're simply narrating a story and using it for effective narration, though.)