Demonstrative pronouns – dieser, der
Demonstrative pronouns refer to specific persons, things or ideas that
usually have been mentioned before. There are two types of demonstra-
tive pronouns which are quite similar in meaning: dieser, dieseetc. and
der,dieetc.:Siehst du die rote Jacke? → Meinst du diese/die?
Do you see the red jacket? Do you mean this one?These pronouns have to agree in gender, number and case with the noun
they replace. Here are all their forms:Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Nom. der die das die
dieser diese dieses diese
Acc. den die das die
diesen diese dieses diese
Dat. dem der dem denen
diesem dieser diesem diesen
Gen. dessen deren dessen deren
dieses dieser dieses dieserNote that the adverbs hier‘here’,da‘here’/‘there’,dort‘there’/‘over there’
are often added for clarification.Möchten Sie diesen/den hier mitnehmen?
Would you like to take that one (here)?Diese/die da hab ich noch nie gesehen.
These I have never seen before.Indefinite pronouns – man, alle, vieleetc.
Indefinite pronouns refer to persons, things or ideas that are not closely
identified. The most commonly used indefinite pronoun is man.Referring to people in a general sense – man
The pronounman‘one’ is used to refer to people/they or you in a general
sense. It is mainly used in the nominative, as the subject of a sentence or
clause:Unit 5: Pronouns 37