Demonstrativartikel in German

Demonstrative articles (Demonstrativartikel) are used to emphasize a person or object in context. Demonstrativartikel cannot stand alone but must always be accompanied by a noun. Demonstrative articles are closely related to definite articles (bestimmter Artikel). In today's article, we will explore this type of article together.

1. Demonstrativartikel dies- and jene-

• Dies- and jene- both express a more precise identification. With dies-, the person or thing referred to is near the speaker in terms of space or time. Often while speaking, the speaker may point with their hand. With jene-, the person or thing referred to is far from the speaker in terms of both time and space:

Dieses Kleid finde ich schön.

(I like this dress.)

Jenes Buch ist ziemlich langweilig.

(That book seems quite boring.)

• Declension:

1. Demonstrativartikel derjenige- und derselbe-

• Used to more precisely identify a person or thing mentioned previously, or to identify based on similarity between persons or things.

Trägst du dasselbe T-Shirt wie gestern?

(Are you wearing the same T-shirt as yesterday?)

• Declension:

- The declension of derjenige, diejenige, dasjenige is similar. These articles are used when additional information is provided in a relative clause that follows:Das ist derjenige Mann, der gestern nach Ihnen gefragt hat.

(This is the man who asked about you yesterday.)