Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstratives: den/det/de her/der
Can use demonstratives correctly
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Den her bog er god, men den der er bedre.
This book is good, but that one is better.
Vil du have det her æble eller det der?
Do you want this apple or that one?
De her sko er for små, men de der passer perfekt.
These shoes are too small, but those ones fit perfectly.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
den/det/de + her (this) or der (that). Noun takes definite form after demonstrative.
Demonstratives agree in gender with the noun and combine with the definite form.
🇬🇧 English: this/that/these/those → den/det/de + her/der. Must match gender!
🇷🇺 Russian: этот/тот → den/det/de + her/d
Common Error Patterns
Using den with et-words or det with en-words
Match gender: 'den her' for en-words, 'det her' for et-words. En bog → den her bog.
Forgetting definite form after demonstrative
After den/det/de + her/der, use definite noun: 'den her bogen', not *'den her bog'.
Den her bog er god, men den der er bedre.
This book is good, but that one is better.
'Den her' = this (common gender). 'Den der' = that. 'Bedre' = better (comparative of god).
Vil du have det her æble eller det der?
Do you want this apple or that one?
'Det her' = this (neuter, because 'et æble'). 'Det der' = that one.
De her sko er for små, men de der passer perfekt.
These shoes are too small, but those ones fit perfectly.
'De her' = these (plural). 'De der' = those. Same form for all plural nouns.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises