25.3 Pronouns in German: Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in German, as in any other language, are used to indicate something specific within a sentence. They can refer to people, things, places, ideas, or even a phrase that was mentioned earlier. These pronouns are commonly used in everyday conversation and are also very important in writing.

German Demonstrative Pronoun Forms

There are four forms of demonstrative pronouns in German: "dieser" (this), "jener" (that), "der" (the, the) and "welcher" (which). Each of these pronouns has its own gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural) forms, as well as cases (nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive). The choice of pronoun depends on the thing or person you are referring to.

Use of "Dieser"

"Dieser" is used to refer to something that is close to the speaker. For example, "Dieser Mann" (This man) or "Diese Frau" (This woman). Note that "dieser" changes according to the gender and case of the noun it refers to.

Use of "Jener"

"Jener" is used to refer to something that is far from the speaker. For example, "Jener Mann" (That man) or "Jene Frau" (That woman). Like "dieser", "jener" also changes according to the gender and case of the noun it refers to.

Use of "Der"

"Der" is used similarly to the English demonstrative pronouns "this" and "that". It can refer to something that has been mentioned before, or to something that the speaker believes the hearer already knows. For example, "Der Mann, den ich gestern getroffen habe" (The man I met yesterday). Note that "der" changes according to the gender and case of the noun it refers to.

Use of "Welcher"

"Welcher" is used to ask about something specific within a group of things or people. For example, "Welcher Mann ist dein Vater?" (Which man is your father?). Note that "welcher" changes according to the gender and case of the noun it refers to.

Conclusion

German demonstrative pronouns are an essential part of German grammar. They allow the speaker to refer to specific things or people in a clear and concise manner. Mastering the use of these pronouns can go a long way in improving your German communication skills.

This chapter of our German Basic Level e-book course provides an overview of demonstrative pronouns in German. However, to really master these pronouns, it's important to practice using them in a variety of situations. We recommend that you continue to study and practice using these pronouns to become fluent in German.