📚 Table: “The” (der/die/das) vs. “This” (dieser/diese/dieses)
| Case | Gender | “The” | “This” | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOM | Masculine | der | dieser | Subject (e.g. This man is kind.) |
| Feminine | die | diese | Subject (e.g. This woman is singing.) | |
| Neuter | das | dieses | Subject (e.g. This child is playing.) | |
| Plural | die | diese | Subject (e.g. These people are laughing.) | |
| ACC | Masculine | den | diesen | Direct object (e.g. I see this man.) |
| Feminine | die | diese | Direct object (e.g. I hear this woman.) | |
| Neuter | das | dieses | Direct object (e.g. I know this child.) | |
| Plural | die | diese | Direct object (e.g. I love these books.) | |
| DAT | Masculine | dem | diesem | Indirect object (e.g. I give this man a gift.) |
| Feminine | der | dieser | Indirect object (e.g. I help this woman.) | |
| Neuter | dem | diesem | Indirect object (e.g. I thank this child.) | |
| Plural | den (+n) | diesen (+n) | Indirect (e.g. I talk to these people.) |
💡 Note on plural dative: Always add -n to the noun in dative plural unless it already ends in -n (e.g. Kindern, Leuten).
🔁 Memory trick:
- Nominative = subject = der/die/das/die → dieser/diese/dieses/diese
- Accusative = object = den/die/das/die → diesen/diese/dieses/diese
- Dative = to/for someone = dem/der/dem/den+n → diesem/dieser/diesem/diesen+n