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Learn to use Dutch demonstrative pronouns to point out objects nearby with deze (de-words) and dit (het-words), or those farther away with die and dat, matching the noun's gender and number.
  1. Use 'deze' and 'dit' for things that are close by, and 'die' and 'dat' for things that are further away.
  2. The demonstrative pronoun agrees with the gender and article of the word.
 de-woordhet-woord
Dichtbij (nearby)deze (this)dit (Close by)
Veraf (far away)die (that)dat (that)

Exceptions!

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

Exercise 1: Aanwijzende voornaamwoorden (deze, die, dit, dat)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Die, Deze, Dat

1.
... tafel daar is rond en past niet goed in de woonkamer.
(Die tafel daar is rond en past niet goed in de woonkamer.)
2.
... schilderij hangt niet recht op 1 lijn.
(Dat schilderij hangt niet recht op 1 lijn.)
3.
... doos is erg zwaar. Ik heb hulp nodig.
(Die doos is erg zwaar. Ik heb hulp nodig.)
4.
... tafels van je moeder zijn breder als die van de buurman.
(Deze tafels van je moeder zijn breder als die van de buurman.)
5.
... oude boom in onze tuin groeit al jaren krom.
(Die oude boom in onze tuin groeit al jaren krom.)
6.
... pen gebruik ik vaak om te schrijven.
(Deze pen gebruik ik vaak om te schrijven.)
7.
... huis daar is heel hoog.
(Dat huis daar is heel hoog.)
8.
... straat is erg smal, alleen fietsen kunnen erdoor.
(Deze straat is erg smal, alleen fietsen kunnen erdoor.)

Exercise 2: Dialogue completion

Instruction: Complete the dialogue with the correct solution

1. _____ stoel is comfortabel om op te zitten.

( _____ chair is comfortable to sit on.)

2. Ik geef je _____ boek, het ligt dichtbij mij.

( I give you _____ book, it is close to me.)

3. _____ gebouwen daar zijn erg oud.

( _____ buildings there are very old.)

4. _____ lampje is kapot, het staat ver weg.

( _____ little lamp is broken, it is far away.)

5. _____ kleine huisje is nieuw gebouwd.

( _____ small house is newly built.)

6. _____ fietsen zijn van mijn buren, ze staan dichtbij de deur.

( _____ bikes belong to my neighbors, they stand near the door.)

Demonstrative Pronouns in Dutch: deze, die, dit, dat

This lesson focuses on teaching you the use of Dutch demonstrative pronouns: deze, die, dit, and dat. These words are essential for pointing out specific nouns in a sentence, similar to "this" and "that" in English, but with important differences relating to gender and proximity.

Key Concepts

  • Proximity: Use deze and dit for things that are close to the speaker, and die and dat for things farther away.
  • Gender and Article Agreement: The demonstrative pronoun must match the gender and article of the noun it refers to. Dutch nouns are categorized as de-words or het-words.
  • De-words vs Het-words: Use deze and die with de-words (common gender) and plurals. Use dit and dat with het-words (neuter gender) and diminutives.
  • Diminutives: Words ending in -je are always het-words, so they always take dit or dat.

Examples to Remember

  • Deze stoel (this chair) – de-woord, close by
  • Dit boek (this book) – het-woord, close by
  • Die gebouwen (those buildings) – de-woord, far away
  • Dat lampje (that little lamp) – het-woord diminutive, far away

Differences Between English and Dutch Demonstratives

Unlike English, Dutch demonstrative pronouns change based on the gender and number of the noun, as well as proximity. English simply uses "this" and "that" without gender distinction. For example, English says "this chair" or "this book" regardless of gender, but Dutch uses deze for de-woorden (e.g., stoel) and dit for het-woorden (e.g., boek).

Useful Words and Phrases

  • deze – these / this (for de-woorden, near)
  • die – those / that (for de-woorden, far)
  • dit – this (for het-woorden, near)
  • dat – that (for het-woorden, far)
  • de stoel – the chair (de-woord)
  • het boek – the book (het-woord)
  • het huisje – the little house (diminutive, het-woord)

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