A2 · der-words and ein-words

dieser, diese, dieses

this, these: dieser takes the endings of der

Formdieser + Adjektivendung wie bei der/die/das

Meaning and usage

dieser, diese, dieses means this or these. It points to a specific person or thing, and it always takes exactly the same endings as the der-word der, die, das. So you say dieser Mann (der Mann), diese Frau (die Frau), dieses Haus (das Haus). In the accusative the masculine changes: Ich kenne diesen Mann. After a preposition like mit or in you get the dative: mit diesem Auto, in dieser Stadt. In the plural the nominative and accusative are diese (these people), while the dative is diesen: mit diesen Kindern.

The usual mistake is mixing the two patterns, for example dieser Frau instead of diese Frau, or dieses Mann instead of dieser Mann. Remember: if der would be den, then dieser is diesen.

Examples 6

Test yourself

  1. 1 Sprachbausteine

    Ich wohne seit drei Jahren in Stadt.

    Show answer

    Correct answer: dieser

    After the preposition in with a place you are inside, the noun is dative, and feminine dative is dieser Stadt.

    • diesen This is the masculine accusative form, which does not fit the dative feminine noun Stadt.
    • dieses This is the neuter form, but Stadt is feminine, so it cannot be dieses.
    • diese This is the nominative or accusative form, but after in with a location the dative is needed.

In this topic: der-words and ein-words

  1. dieser, diese, dieses this, these: dieser takes the endings of der
  2. jeder, jede, jedes every, each: jeder, jede, jedes
  3. alle Kinder, mit allen Kindern all: alle follows the der-word pattern
  4. so ein, solche such a, such, people or things like that
  5. mit meinem Bruder, mit einer Freundin ein-words in the dative: meinem, einer
  6. unser, euer → eure euer drops its second e when an ending is added
  7. Ich habe einen. Ich habe keins. saying one or none without repeating the noun
  8. Das ist meins. saying mine, yours, his with no noun

Example sentences from Tatoeba, used under CC BY 2.0 FR. See sources.

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