Table of Contents
For the purpose of bringing attention to certain individuals, objects, or concepts, we make use of descriptive labels. Humans are able to converse about other people, objects, and concepts thanks to these words. In English, this occurs rather often. In German, the appropriate words for describing something are determined by the case (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive), the number (single or multiple), and the gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter). There is a possibility that any of these names might be male, female, or neither, depending on the circumstances.
Because they improve communication by removing misconceptions and making our arguments more apparent, they are essential for daily discourse. This is because they make communication better. When you use language that is expressive rather than just repeating things, it is much simpler to understand the concept that is being discussed. In the event that you are attempting to swiftly attract someone’s attention when there are a number of books on a table, you may say something like, “Dieses Buch ist interessant.” In this way, everything is made plain.
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What are demonstrative pronouns in German?
Pronouns that are used to point to individuals or objects are called demonstrative pronouns. There are instances in which they may even serve a nominal or attributive role, such as when they say, “Hier liegt diese Hose und dort liegt jene.”
“dieser / diese / dieses” refer to closer things or people.
“jener / jene / jenes” refer to people or things being further away.
The gender, number, and case of the noun that they refer to are taken into consideration when they are used in the singular. Even when used in the plural, they do not change according to gender.
Declension in the singular:
- Nominative: “dieser Mann, diese Frau, dieses Kind“
- Genitive: “dieses Mannes, dieser Frau, dieses Kindes“
- Dative: “diesem Mann, dieser Frau, diesem Kind“
- Accusative: “diesen Mann, diese Frau, dieses Kind“
Declension in the plural:
- Nominative: “diese Männer, diese Frauen, diese Kinder“
- Genitive: “dieser Männer, dieser Frauen, dieser Kinder“
- Dative: “diesen Männern, diesen Frauen, diesen Kindern“
- Accusative: “diese Männer, diese Frauen, diese Kinder“
Identity is shown by the pronouns “derselbe,” “diesselbe,” and “selbst.” These words stress the pronoun.
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How do demonstrative pronouns work in each case?
1: How do you say "Good Morning" in German?
Demonstrative pronouns must conform to the same criteria as nouns, adjectives, and articles, and they must match to the gender, number, and case of the antecedent. This is the state of affairs in Germany.
This indicates that the order of their use in the line is significant.
1. The nominative case, which has the phrase’s subject
This word is used when the subject is the name.
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Dieser ist neu. (This one is new.)
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Jene ist meine Schwester. (That one is my sister.)
2. The accusative and the direct object
When the pronoun is the object of the verb, this position is used.
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Ich kenne diesen. (I know this one.)
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Sie besucht jene. (She is visiting that one.)
3. The dative, which is a secondary thing
When the name is talking about the secondary object (often after prepositions or when the verb needs the dative), this form is used.
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Ich helfe diesem. (I help this one.)
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Mit jener spreche ich. (I am speaking with that one.)
4. The genitive (short for “of” or “possession”)
The use of this word is more common in writing German than in spoken German.
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Wegen dieses habe ich Probleme. (Because of this one, I have problems.)
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Die Meinung jener ist wichtig. (The opinion of those [people] is important.)
Declension of dieser, jener, solcher
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | dieser / jener / solcher | diese / jene / solche | dieses / jenes / solches | diese / jene / solche |
| Accusative | diesen / jenen / solchen | diese / jene / solche | dieses / jenes / solches | diese / jene / solche |
| Dative | diesem / jenem / solchem | dieser / jener / solcher | diesem / jenem / solchem | diesen / jenen / solchen |
| Genitive | dieses / jenes / solchen | dieser / jener / solcher | dieses / jenes / solchen | dieser / jener / solcher |
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Start Learning GermanHow are demonstrative pronouns different from definite articles?
Due to their same forms, demonstrative pronouns and definite articles in German (der, die, das) may seem rather similar. Having said that, they serve distinct purposes inside sentences.
To introduce a noun and indicate that it is particular or previously known, we use a definite article. Take this case in point:
Der Hund schläft. → Here, der just means the and points to the dog.
However, to highlight an item or person even more, a demonstrative pronoun might take the place of the noun entirely. Take this case in point:
“Der schläft” means “that one” instead of “the dog” in this context.
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Examples in Sentences
It helps to see demonstrative words in use to really understand them. Here are examples of the nominative, the accusative, the dative, and the genitive forms.
1. Nominative (subject)
This is used when the pronoun is the topic.
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Dieser ist mein Freund. → This one is my friend.
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Jene ist meine Schwester. → That one is my sister.
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Der schläft. → That one is sleeping.
2. Accusative (direct object)
This form is used for direct objects.
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Ich kenne diesen. → I know this one.
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Sie besucht jene. → She is visiting that one.
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Er mag das nicht. → He doesn’t like that one.
3. Dative (indirect object)
Pronouns are usually used as indirect objects after particular verbs or prepositions.
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Ich helfe diesem. → I’m helping this one.
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Mit jener spreche ich. → I’m speaking with that one.
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Wir gehen mit denen. → We’re going with those.
4. Genitive (possession / “of”)
This demands our attention, even though it’s seldom acknowledged in everyday discussion.
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Wegen dieses habe ich Probleme. → Because of this one, I have problems.
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Die Meinung jener ist wichtig. → The opinion of those people is important.
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Das Haus desjenigen ist groß. → The house of that one is big.
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Conclusion
These, jener, solcher, der/die/das—are little yet strong German demonstrative pronouns. They let us highlight a person, item, or concept without repeating the term. Mastering their declension is vital for appropriate speech and writing since they change form by case, gender, and number.
Demonstratives make regular talks more natural and precise. Knowing how to utilize demonstrative pronouns to say “this one,” “that one,” or “such things” can improve your German clarity and expression.
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Start Learning GermanFrequently Asked Questions
Which demonstrative pronoun is used most often?
The most common in daily German is dieser (this/these). Jener sounds more formal or old-fashioned, while solcher (such) is used less frequently.
Are demonstrative pronouns used in spoken German?
Yes, but often speakers use stress and intonation with der, die, das instead of the more formal jener. So in daily life, you’ll hear der or dieser much more than jener.
Do demonstrative pronouns change with gender and case?
Yes. Like articles, they must agree with the noun they replace in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular/plural), and case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive).
Are demonstrative pronouns the same as definite articles?
No. While they sometimes look the same (der, die, das), their function is different. Definite articles accompany a noun (der Hund = the dog), while demonstrative pronouns replace the noun (Der schläft = that one is sleeping).
