Dutch A1 → A2 WORKBOOK LESSON 14 / 17
Dutch Demonstratives: Deze, Die, Dit and Dat
This one, that one. Point, choose and buy in Dutch.
The essentials
"This" and "that" in Dutch depend on two questions: is the noun a de-word or a het-word, and is it near or far? Plurals always follow the de-words.
Core rule: de-words and plurals: deze (near) / die (far). het-words: dit (near) / dat (far).
| Near: this, these | Far: that, those | |
|---|---|---|
| de-word | deze jas  deze jas - this coat | die jas die jas - that coat |
| het-word | dit boek dit boek - this book | dat boek dat boek - that book |
| plural | deze schoenen deze schoenen - these shoes | die schoenen die schoenen - those shoes |
Pointing and Introducing: Dit Is, Dat Zijn
When you point at something or introduce someone, Dutch uses dit or dat for everything, whatever the noun. With a plural, the verb becomes zijn.
| Example | Use |
|---|---|
| Dit is mijn broer. Dit is mijn broer. - This is my brother. | introducing |
| Dit is mijn zus Anna. Dit is mijn zus Anna. - This is my sister Anna. | introducing |
| Dat is onze nieuwe auto. Dat is onze nieuwe auto. - That is our new car. | pointing |
| Dit zijn mijn kinderen. Dit zijn mijn kinderen. - These are my children. | plural: zijn |
| Wat is dat? Wat is dat? - What is that? | a question |
Without a noun, deze, die, dit and dat can stand alone, still matching the noun you mean: Welke jas wil je? Deze. Welk brood? Dat.
Shopping: Mag Ik Deze?
In a shop you point more than you name. These are the sentences you will actually say:
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Asking the price | Hoeveel kost deze jas? Hoeveel kost deze jas? - How much is this coat? |
| Choosing | Mag ik deze? Mag ik deze? - May I have this one? |
| Choosing, further away | Ik neem die daar, alstublieft. Ik neem die daar, alstublieft. - I'll take that one over there, please. |
| Another size | Heeft u deze ook in maat M? Heeft u deze ook in maat M? - Do you have this one in size M too? |
| Not right | Deze schoenen zijn te klein. Deze schoenen zijn te klein. - These shoes are too small. |
| At the bakery | Is dit brood van vandaag? Is dit brood van vandaag? - Is this bread from today? |
How to Actually Choose
Two quick checks, in this order: plural? Then deze or die. Singular? Then the article decides: de → deze/die, het → dit/dat. Near or far is usually obvious from your hand.
Die is also the relative pronoun from lesson 12 (de man die daar staat) and dat is also "that" in Ik denk dat…. Same words, different jobs; the sentence shows which.
Mistakes English Speakers Make
English has one "this" and one "that" for everything, so these are the four slips to check.
✗ deze boek
✓ dit boek
Boek is a het-word, so dit or dat.
✗ dit schoenen
✓ deze schoenen
Plurals always take deze or die.
✗ Deze is mijn broer.
✓ Dit is mijn broer.
To introduce or point, say Dit is or Dat is.
✗ dit mooi huis
✓ dit mooie huis
After deze, die, dit and dat the adjective takes -e.
A2 Lesson 14 Practice
Choose one activity below. Questions reuse words from the A1 course and A2 lessons 1 to 14.
Option 1: Choose The Demonstrative
De-word or plural? Het-word? Near or far?
Option 2: What Do You Say In The Shop?
Point, choose and describe.
Option 3: Type Deze, Die, Dit Or Dat
The English in brackets tells you near or far.