Demonstrative adjective

Definition: Demonstrative adjectives are: dieser [this] and jener [that].

The demonstrative "dieser"

Refers to something that is near or nearer in time or distance. It corresponds to English "this", but as it is used in contexts where the difference between near and distant is not crucial, it often equates to English "that". When placed in front of a noun, it declines as follows:

	Masculine	Feminine	Plural

Nominative	dieser Brief	diese Tasche	diese briefen
Accusative	diesen Brief	diese Tasche	diese briefen
Dative	diesem Brief	dieser Tasche	diesen briefen

	Neuter

Nominative	dieses Mädchen
Accusative	dieses Mädchen
Dative	diesem Mädchen

Examples in German:

Which child works well? - This one.
Welches Kind arbeitet gut? - Dieses.

Which man do you see? - That one.
Welchen Mann siehst du? - Diesen.

The demonstrative "jener"

Refers to something that is far or farther in time or distance. Although the pronoun "jener" means "that", it is really only used in certain formal registers or to contrast with "dieser", which should otherwise be used to translate "that":

	Masculine	Feminine	Plural

Nominative	jener Brief	jene Frau	jene briefen
Accusative	jenen Brief	jene Frau	jene briefen
Dative	jenem Brief	jener Frau	jenen briefen

	Neuter

Nominative	jenes Kind
Accusative	jenes Kind
Dative	jenem Kind

Examples in German:

I don't want to buy this bracelet, but that one.
Ich will nicht dieses Armband kaufen, sondern jenes.

Do you want this brooch or that one?
Willst du diese Brosche oder jene?