Dutch grammar: aanwijzende voornaamwoorden

What this grammar point covers

Dutch demonstrative pronouns ('aanwijzende voornaamwoorden') are words that point to specific people or things, such as 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those'.

When to use it

Use Dutch demonstrative pronouns to indicate or emphasize a specific person or object. They are used when you want to show which thing or person you are talking about, either near or far.

Key forms

• dit
• dat
• deze
• die

Examples

Tips

• Use 'dit' and 'dat' for singular 'het'-words (neuter nouns).
• Use 'deze' and 'die' for singular 'de'-words (common nouns) and for all plurals.
• Remember: 'dit' and 'deze' are for things that are close; 'dat' and 'die' for things that are farther away.

Exceptions and edge cases

• For plural nouns, always use 'deze' (near) or 'die' (far), even if the noun is a 'het'-word in singular.