German grammar: Demonstrativpronomen

What this grammar point covers

Demonstrativpronomen are words in German that point to specific people or things, like 'this', 'that', 'these', or 'those' in English.

When to use it

Use Demonstrativpronomen in German to clearly identify or emphasize one or more people or things, especially when you want to distinguish them from others.

Key forms

• dieser / diese / dieses
• jener / jene / jenes
• der / die / das (used as demonstrative pronouns)

Examples

Tips

• Remember that Demonstrativpronomen must match the gender, case, and number of the noun they refer to.
• The forms look similar to the definite articles (der/die/das), but are stressed when spoken.
• Don't confuse 'dieser' (this) and 'jener' (that); 'dieser' is usually for something closer, 'jener' for something farther away.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Sometimes 'der/die/das' is used instead of 'dieser' or 'jener' to emphasize or point to something specific.