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Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Dutch indicate specific people, animals, or things and denote their location or distance.

Grammatica: Aanwijzende Voornaamwoorden

A1 Dutch Demonstrative pronouns

Level: A1

Module 4: Objecten en mensen beschrijven (Describing objects and people)

Lesson 27: Vormen en vormen (Shapes and forms)

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Audio and video

  1. Use 'deze' and 'dit' for things nearby, and 'die' and 'dat' for things farther away.
  2. The demonstrative pronoun corresponds with the gender and article of the word.
AfstandEnkelvoudArtikel MeervoudArtikel Verkleinwoord 
DichtbijdezedeDeze auto is van mij. (This car is mine.)dezedeDeze auto's zijn nieuw. (These cars are new.)ditDit autootje is leuk. (This little car is nice.)
DichtbijdithetDit boek is interessant. (This book is interesting.)dezedeDeze boeken zijn interessant. (These books are interesting.)ditDit boekje is dun. (This booklet is thin.)
VerafdiedeDie auto daar is van mijn buurman. (That car over there is my neighbor's.)diedeDie auto's daar zijn oud. (Those cars there are old.)datDat autootje daar is kapot. (That little car over there is broken.)
VerafdathetDat huis aan het einde van de straat is nieuw. (That house at the end of the street is new.)diedeDie huizen zijn oud. (Those houses are old.)datDat huisje daar is gezellig. (That little house over there is cozy.)

Exceptions!

  1. Diminutives always have the article het and therefore always use dit or dat.
  2. Plurals always have the article de and thus always use deze or die.

Exercise 1: Demonstrative Pronouns

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Dat, Dit, Die, Deze

1.
... man daar is vriendelijk.
(That man there is friendly.)
2.
... huis is hoog.
(That house is tall.)
3.
... meisje daar is lief.
(That girl there is sweet.)
4.
... tafels zijn breed.
(These tables are wide.)
5.
... kindje daar is blij.
(That child there is happy.)
6.
... auto is blauw.
(This car is blue.)
7.
... boek is saai.
(This book is boring.)
8.
... stoelen zijn wit.
(These chairs are white.)

Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

Die


That

2

Deze


This

3

Dit


This

4

Dat


That