Demonstrative Pronouns in German – Complete Guide with Declension Tables and Examples

Key takeaways

• German demonstrative pronouns point to specific people or things, replacing or emphasizing a noun. The main forms are dieser (this/these), jener (that/those), derjenige (the one who), and derselbe (the same).
• All demonstratives decline like der-words — their endings change across gender, case, and number.
• The definite article der/die/das can function as a demonstrative pronoun when used with stress or in place of a noun, meaning "that one" or "this one."
• Dieser is used for what is nearby or recently mentioned; jener for what is distant or being contrasted — though in modern spoken German, dieser often covers both.
• Derselbe means the exact same object; der gleiche means an identical but different object.

German demonstrative pronouns are essential tools for pointing, contrasting, and referring back to previously mentioned nouns. They appear constantly in speech, writing, instructions, and comparisons. This guide covers all four main demonstrative pronoun series with full declension tables, practical usage rules, distinctions that confuse learners, and real sentence examples throughout.

If you want to practice these forms in guided exercises, explore German lessons on Promova and build fluency step by step.

What are demonstrative pronouns in German?

A demonstrative pronoun replaces or emphasizes a noun by pointing to a specific referent — something nearby, something distant, or something previously mentioned. In English, the demonstratives are simply "this," "that," "these," and "those." German has a richer system with four distinct series, each serving a different communicative purpose.

Unlike in English, German demonstrative pronouns must agree with the noun they replace in gender, case, and number. This means the pronoun changes form depending on what it refers to and what role it plays in the sentence.

Why German demonstrative pronouns matter

Demonstrative pronouns serve several key functions in German communication:

• Avoid repetition — instead of repeating a noun, substitute it: Ich nehme diesen. (I'll take this one.)
• Emphasize a specific item — stress exactly which one is meant: Dieses Haus, nicht jenes. (This house, not that one.)
• Contrast two options — show a clear choice: Dieser Mantel ist wärmer als jener. (This coat is warmer than that one.)
• Refer back precisely in conversation or text: Diejenigen, die kamen, halfen sehr. (Those who came helped a lot.)

The four main German demonstrative pronoun series

1. dieser-series — this / these

Dieser points to something nearby, recently mentioned, or about to be mentioned. It is the most common demonstrative in everyday German and appears in both spoken and written language. As an attributive adjective it modifies a noun; as a pronoun it replaces one entirely.

Used as a pronoun (no noun follows):

• Welchen Stift willst du? — Diesen hier. — Which pen do you want? — This one here.
• Diese Tasche gefällt mir besser als jene. — I like this bag better than that one.
• Ich brauche dieses. — I need this one. (neuter)

Used as an attributive modifier (before a noun):

• Dieser Stuhl ist bequem. — This chair is comfortable.
• Diese Bücher gehören mir. — These books belong to me.
• Dieses Angebot ist sehr gut. — This offer is very good.

2. jener-series — that / those

Jener points to something distant, already mentioned earlier, or explicitly contrasted with something nearby. It is more common in formal writing and literary German than in everyday speech, where der da or dieser often replace it.

• Jenes Haus dort ist älter als dieses hier. — That house over there is older than this one here.
• Jene Zeiten sind vorbei. — Those times are over.
• Ich erinnere mich an jenen Tag. — I remember that day.
• Dieser Vorschlag ist besser als jener. — This proposal is better than that one.

3. derjenige-series — the one who / the one that

Derjenige (masc.) / diejenige (fem.) / dasjenige (neut.) / diejenigen (plural) is used to introduce a relative clause — it points forward to a defining description. It is written as one word but internally declines in two parts: der-/die-/das- follows definite article endings, and -jenige follows weak adjective endings.

• Derjenige, der zuerst fertig ist, bekommt einen Preis. — The one who finishes first gets a prize.
• Diejenigen, die kamen, halfen sehr. — Those who came helped a lot.
• Dasjenige, was du sagst, stimmt nicht. — What you are saying is not correct.
• Sie ist diejenige, die das Projekt geleitet hat. — She is the one who led the project.

4. derselbe-series — the same (identical object)

Derselbe (masc.) / dieselbe (fem.) / dasselbe (neut.) / dieselben (plural) expresses that something is the very same individual object or person — not just similar, but identical. This distinguishes it from der gleiche, which means "the same kind" but a different instance.

• Wir haben denselben Lehrer. — We have the same teacher. (the identical person)
• Sie trägt dieselbe Jacke wie gestern. — She is wearing the same jacket as yesterday. (same jacket)
• Das ist dasselbe Problem wie letztes Mal. — That is the same problem as last time.
• Er macht immer dieselben Fehler. — He always makes the same mistakes.

Contrast with der gleiche:

• Wir haben die gleiche Jacke. — We have the same jacket. (same model, different jackets)
• Wir haben dieselbe Jacke. — We have the same jacket. (literally one and the same jacket)

Declension tables

dieser — full declension

Dieser declines exactly like a definite article with strong endings:

• Nominative: dieser / diese / dieses / diese
• Accusative: diesen / diese / dieses / diese
• Dative: diesem / dieser / diesem / diesen
• Genitive: dieses / dieser / dieses / dieser

Jener follows the identical pattern: jener / jene / jenes / jene, jenen / jene / jenes / jene, etc.

derjenige — full declension

The first part follows the definite article; the second part (-jenige) follows weak adjective endings (mostly -e and -en):

• Nominative: derjenige / diejenige / dasjenige / diejenigen
• Accusative: denjenigen / diejenige / dasjenige / diejenigen
• Dative: demjenigen / derjenigen / demjenigen / denjenigen
• Genitive: desjenigen / derjenigen / desjenigen / derjenigen

derselbe — full declension

Same structure as derjenige: definite article + weak adjective ending -selbe/-selben:

• Nominative: derselbe / dieselbe / dasselbe / dieselben
• Accusative: denselben / dieselbe / dasselbe / dieselben
• Dative: demselben / derselben / demselben / denselben
• Genitive: desselben / derselben / desselben / derselben

Der/die/das as demonstrative pronouns

The definite articles der, die, das can function as demonstrative pronouns when they replace a noun rather than accompany one — especially in spoken German. The key difference is stress: as articles they are unstressed; as demonstratives they carry strong emphasis.

• Der Mann liest. — The man is reading. (der = article)
• Der liest immer schnell. — That one always reads fast. (der = demonstrative, replacing the noun)
• Die kenne ich gut. — I know her/them well. (die = demonstrative)
• Das ist meine Schwester. — That is my sister. (das = demonstrative pointing)

In the dative, the demonstrative forms differ from articles: dem (masc./neut.) and der (fem.) are shared, but genitive forms dessen (masc./neut.) and deren (fem./plural) are unique to the demonstrative use and do not appear as plain articles.

Demonstrative pronouns in everyday German contexts

These forms appear naturally across many everyday situations:

• Shopping: Ich nehme diesen hier, nicht jenen. — I'll take this one, not that one.
• Explanations: Dasjenige, was ich meine, ist schwer zu erklären. — What I mean is hard to explain.
• Comparisons: Dieser Zug ist schneller als jener. — This train is faster than that one.
• Instructions: Klicke auf dieses Symbol. — Click on this symbol.
• Identity statements: Das war dieselbe Person. — That was the same person.

Tips for learning German demonstrative pronouns

• Start with dieser. It is the most frequent demonstrative in everyday German. Master its declension table first — it follows the same pattern as dieser, welcher, jeder (all der-words), so learning one table gives you access to several pronouns at once.
• Practice substitution. Take any sentence with a noun and replace the noun with the appropriate form of dieser or derselbe. This forces you to identify gender and case before choosing the ending.
• Learn the derselbe / der gleiche distinction early. This is a classic source of confusion for learners. One pair of example sentences — Wir haben dieselbe Jacke vs Wir haben die gleiche Jacke — is enough to make the rule memorable.
• Use derjenige for relative clause practice. Building sentences with derjenige, der... or diejenigen, die... is excellent grammar practice because it combines demonstrative declension with relative clause structure simultaneously.
• Read and listen actively. Demonstratives appear in news articles, dialogues, and instructions constantly. Mark them when you encounter them and identify which series they belong to.

Learn demonstrative pronouns in German with Promova

Promova offers structured, step-by-step lessons that guide you through German demonstrative pronouns with real sentences, declension exercises, and immediate feedback. You can practice distinguishing dieser vs jener, using derselbe correctly, and building sentences with derjenige — all at a pace that fits your schedule.

Final thoughts on German demonstrative pronouns

German demonstrative pronouns are a compact but powerful part of the language. Four series — dieser, jener, derjenige, derselbe — cover the full range of pointing, contrasting, identifying, and equating. All follow predictable declension patterns based on the definite article, and most confusion between them resolves quickly once you understand what each one is designed to do. With consistent practice and real-sentence exposure, these forms become reliable, automatic tools in your German.