Point to a particular item with dieser
Dieser can accompany a noun: Ich nehme diesen Ordner. It can also stand alone when the noun is recoverable: Welchen Ordner? — Diesen. In the first case it is a determiner; in the second it functions as a pronoun. The ending still follows the intended gender, number and case. Do not keep an extra der before it.
| Kasus | Maskulin | Feminin | Neutrum | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | dieser | diese | dieses | diese |
| Akkusativ | diesen | diese | dieses | diese |
| Dativ | diesem | dieser | diesem | diesen |
| Genitiv | dieses | dieser | dieses | dieser |
Derselbe: the same referent and its forms
Derselbe identifies the very same referent: Heute nutze ich denselben Ordner wie gestern. Write it as one word. Its first part follows der and the second has weak adjective endings: derselbe, denselben, demselben, desselben for masculine singular. Feminine forms are dieselbe, dieselbe, derselben, derselben; neuter dasselbe, dasselbe, demselben, desselben; plural dieselben, dieselben, denselben, derselben in nominative–accusative–dative–genitive order.
Check the construction in context
Choose your answer before opening the explanation. Check the whole phrase as well as the form.
6. Point to a folder: Ich nehme ___ Ordner. (dieser)
diesen. Nehmen requires an accusative object; the noun is masculine.
7. Short reply: Welchen Ordner nimmst du? — ___. (dieser)
Diesen. The pronoun stands for the masculine accusative noun phrase.
Start with the topic overview
German articles: definite, indefinite and no article · Find another grammar topic
Questions about this topic
Can dieser stand without a following noun?
Yes, when the intended noun phrase is recoverable. It then functions as a pronoun, and its gender, number and case still need the matching form.
Sources and further learning
- IDS: definiter Artikel
- IDS: indefiniter Artikel
- IDS: Minimale Nominalphrasen
- IDS: Demonstrativ-Artikel
- IDS: Flexion der Artikel
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