Заагч төлөөний үг: энэ, тэр
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Энэ ном хэдэн төгрөг вэ?
How much is this book?
Тэр хүн хэн бэ?
Who is that person?
Эдгээр номууд миний.
These books are mine.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Заагч төлөөний үг (Demonstratives)
Mongolian has near/far distinction and singular/plural forms. No gender distinction.
- энэ (this), эдгээр (these)
- тэр (that), тэдгээр (those)
- тэр also = he/she/it (third person pronoun!)
Common Error Patterns
Confusing тэр as demonstrative vs personal pronoun
Using энэ/тэр with plural meaning instead of эдгээр/тэдгээр
Энэ ном хэдэн төгрөг вэ?
How much is this book?
энэ (this, near speaker) precedes the noun directly — no agreement needed.
Тэр хүн хэн бэ?
Who is that person?
тэр before a noun = 'that' (demonstrative). тэр alone = he/she/it (pronoun).
Эдгээр номууд миний.
These books are mine.
эдгээр (these, plural of энэ) used with plural noun номууд.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises