Dutch demonstratives without a noun: this, that, these and those
When a noun is clear, use deze or dit for this one and die or dat for that one without repeating the noun.
Welke jas wil je? Die. (Which coat do you want? That one.) The answer leaves out jas (coat) and uses die in its place. Dutch treats Die as a complete answer in both speech and writing. English often adds one after this or that when a singular noun is missing; Dutch uses only the demonstrative.
Choose the form from the missing noun
de jas → deze/die (the coat) shows the pattern. Keep the demonstrative that could stand before the missing noun, then leave out the noun.
| Missing noun | Nearer option (this/these) | Farther option (that/those) |
|---|---|---|
| singular de-word: de jas (the coat) | deze | die |
| singular het-word: het boek (the book) | dit | dat |
| plural things: de jassen (the coats) | deze | die |
| person named by a de-word: de collega (the colleague) | deze | die |
| person named by a het-word: het kind (the child) | dit | dat |
| several people: de collega's (the colleagues) | dezen (these people; formal) | die |
Welke collega bedoel je? Die. (Which colleague do you mean? That one.) For one person, the missing noun's article still decides: de collega gives deze/die, while het kind gives dit/dat. When deze stands alone for several people, formal Dutch adds -n: dezen. That form can sound old-fashioned; everyday Dutch usually uses die or a personal pronoun. Never use dezen for things.
Use the replacement to select or contrast
Welke fiets wil je? Die. (Which bike do you want? That one.) A standalone demonstrative selects one item from a known set. It can also contrast two options: Deze is goedkoper, maar die is sneller. (This one is cheaper, but that one is faster.)
When two visible options differ in distance, deze/dit normally selects the nearer one and die/dat the farther one. Distance does not decide every case: speakers also use the two sets for contrast or emphasis. See deze, die, dit and dat before a noun for the broader form choice.
Keep noun replacement separate from personal pronouns
Welke telefoon bedoel je? Die. (Which phone do you mean? That one.) Here die selects a phone and replaces telefoon. In Waar is mijn telefoon? Hij ligt op tafel. (Where is my phone? It is on the table.), hij is a personal pronoun that continues the same topic.
Welke collega bedoel je? Die bij het raam. (Which colleague do you mean? The one by the window.) The replacement pattern can select a person. Dutch can also use die/dat to refer back just after a person or thing has been introduced. That standard use is especially common in speech, but it is a separate pronoun choice rather than a missing-noun answer. A personal pronoun normally continues an established topic: Waar is Anna? Ze komt zo. (Where is Anna? She is coming shortly.) See subject and object pronouns.
In a replacement before van..., use die or dat
Ik neem de fiets van Noor, niet die van Sam. (I am taking Noor's bike, not Sam's.) Here die replaces de fiets before van Sam. This is a special standard pattern: use die for a de-word or plural and dat for a het-word. Use Jouw voorstel is beter dan dat van Paul. (Your proposal is better than Paul's.) These forms do not express distance here. Do not use deze or dit in this pattern.
Use dit or dat to present a noun after the verb
Dit is mijn collega. (This is my colleague.) Dat zijn nieuwe schoenen. (Those are new shoes.) These sentences present or identify the noun after zijn (to be). Keep dit/dat even before a de-word, a person or a plural.
| Pattern | Example | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Known noun omitted | Welke schoenen zijn van jou? Deze. (Which shoes are yours? These.) | deze replaces the plural noun schoenen. |
| Known noun omitted before a description | Deze zijn goedkoop. (These are cheap.) | deze replaces a known plural noun; goedkoop is a description. |
| Noun presented after the verb | Dit zijn mijn schoenen. (These are my shoes.) | dit introduces the noun phrase mijn schoenen. |
The verb follows the number of the introduced noun: Dit is mijn schoen. (This is my shoe.) but Dit zijn mijn schoenen. (These are my shoes.) The same presenting pattern can use worden (to become): Dat worden goede muzikanten. (Those will become good musicians.)
- *Welke schoenen wil je?* Which answer means these?
- Dit
- Deze
- Dat
- Die
*Schoenen* is plural, so the standalone form is *deze* (these) or *die* (those). The question asks for these, so the answer is *Deze*.
- Complete: *Ik neem de auto van Noor, niet ___ Sam.* (I am taking Noor's car, not Sam's.)
- dat van
- die van
- deze van
- dit van
*Auto* is a *de*-word. Before a following *van* phrase, the standard replacement is *die*: *die van Sam*.
- Which answer uses a personal pronoun for Anna after *Waar is Anna?* (Where is Anna?)
- Dit komt zo.
- Die komt zo.
- Ze komt zo.
- Dat komt zo.
*Ze* refers back to Anna with a personal pronoun. *Die* can refer back to a newly introduced person or add emphasis, but it is not the plain reference tested here.
- Which sentence correctly presents *mijn ouders* (my parents)?
- Deze zijn mijn ouders.
- Dit zijn mijn ouders.
- Dit is mijn ouders.
- Die is mijn ouders.
This sentence presents the noun phrase *mijn ouders*. Use *dit* with the plural verb *zijn*: *Dit zijn mijn ouders.*
- Complete: *Welk kind bedoel je? ___ daar.* (that one)
- Die
- Deze
- Dit
- Dat
*Kind* is a *het*-word, even though it names a person. The farther form that replaces *het kind* is *dat*.
Test yourself
Question 1 of 5
Welke schoenen wil je? Which answer means these?