Pronouns
The personal pronoun is a representative word for the noun. It is differentiated based on the person (1st, 2nd, 3rd person) and the number (singular, plural).
Personal pronouns are declined (declension).
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Singular |
Plural |
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1st P. |
2nd P. |
3rd P. |
1st P. |
2nd P. |
3rd P. |
Nominative |
ich |
du |
er |
sie |
es |
wir |
ihr |
sie (Sie) |
Accusative |
mich |
dich |
ihn |
sie |
es |
uns |
euch |
sie (Sie) |
Dative |
mir |
dir |
ihm |
ihr |
ihm |
uns |
euch |
ihnen (Ihnen) |
Genitive |
meiner |
deiner |
seiner |
ihrer |
seiner |
unser |
euer |
ihrer (Ihrer) |
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As with nouns, a case is also required for verbs and prepositions, e.g.:
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Dative: |
Sie hilft mir. Wir sprechen mit dir. |
Accusative: |
Warum fragst du mich? Ich erledige das für dich.
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The personal pronouns of the 2nd person (singular: du; plural: ihr) and the 3rd person plural (one person: Sie, more than one person: Sie) are used as the forms of address:
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informal, intimate: du, ihr |
Wie heißt du? (singular) Wo wohnt ihr? (plural) |
formal, polite, distanced: Sie |
Wie heißen Sie? Wo wohnen Sie? (singular and plural)
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The possessive pronoun makes reference to the person and number of the personal pronoun.
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Personal Pronoun: |
ich |
du |
er |
sie |
es |
wir |
ihr |
sie |
Possessive Pronoun: |
mein |
dein |
sein |
ihr |
sein |
unser |
euer |
ihr |
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The possessive pronoun expresses possession and belonging. The possessive pronoun can also be used as an article word. When it is used this way, it is called a possessive article.
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The demonstrative pronoun (like the definite or indefinite article) usually refers to a person or thing and it normally accentuates one thing over others. It is declined like the definite article and typically more emphasized.
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Dieser ist gut, aber der (seltener: jener) ist schlecht.
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The demonstrative pronoun can come before a noun; if this is the case, it is referred to as a demonstrative article.
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The interrogative pronoun is inquiring about unknown components: |
about a person, e.g.: |
Wer hilft dir beim Einkaufen? – … Meine Schwester. |
about an object/thing, e.g.: |
Was willst du kaufen? – … einen Pullover. |
about a characteristic or a selection from many items or possibilities e.g.: |
Was für einen Pullover wünschst du dir? – … Einen roten (Pullover). |
Welchen Pullover möchtest du? – … den roten (Pullover) dort. |
about a quantity, e.g.: |
Wie viel(e) Pullover hast du? – … vier (Pullover). |
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The interrogative pronouns was für ein, welcher and wie viel(e) can be used as article words. In this case, they are called interrogative articles.
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Interrogative pronouns are declined (see also "Article Word"), e.g.:
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Nominative |
wer? |
was? |
was für einer? |
Accusative |
wen? |
was? |
was für einen? |
Dative |
wem? |
(wem?) |
was für einem? |
Genitive |
wessen? |
wessen? |
was für eines? |
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Interrogative pronouns and interrogative adverbs (e.g. wo?, wann?, wie?, warum?) are often summarized as question words.
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Question words begin or introduce a certain kind of question, a probe question. They are found in the first position.
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The relative pronoun introduces a relative clause (subordinate clause) and refers to a noun or pronoun in the main clause.
The relative pronouns are der/die/das – die (seldom welcher/welche/welches – welche). Der/die/das – die are declined just like the definite article (exception: the dative plural pronoun denen), welcher/welche/welches – welche are declined just like the interrogative pronouns welcher/welche/welches – welche.
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Masculine |
Feminine |
Neuter |
Nominativ |
…, der dort steht |
…, die dort steht |
…, das dort steht |
Akkusativ |
…, den ich gut kenne |
…, die ich gut kenne |
…, das ich gut kenne |
Dativ |
…, mit dem ich spreche |
…, mit der ich spreche |
…, mit dem ich spreche |
Genitiv (seldom) |
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Plural |
Nominative |
…, die dort stehen |
Accusative |
…, die ich gut kenne |
Dative |
…, mit denen ich spreche |
Genitive (seldom) |
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Was is used as a relative pronoun when the antecedent in the main clause
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– is a substantival neuter pronoun, e.g.:
Ich habe das, was du gesagt hast, nicht verstanden.
– is an indefinite numeral, e.g.:
Hier findet ihr alles, was ihr braucht.
– is a substantivally used adjective superlative (neuter), e.g.:
Das ist das Wichtigste, was ihr wissen müsst.
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The reflexive pronoun is used with reflexive verbs and verbs that are used reflexively. The reflexive pronoun refers to the subject. The individual reflexive pronoun varies according to the grammatical person of the subject. Its case (accusative, dative) is determined by the verb’s regimen, e.g.:
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Singular |
Plural |
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1st |
2nd. |
3rd |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
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(ich) |
(du) |
(er) |
(sie) |
(es) |
(wir) |
(ihr) |
(sie/Sie) |
Accusative |
mich |
dich |
sich |
sich |
sich |
uns |
euch |
sich |
Dative |
mir |
dir |
sich |
sich |
sich |
uns |
euch |
sich |
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Ich frage mich das auch. (1st person singular; fragen → accusative)
Du hilfst dir damit nicht. (2nd person singular; helfen → dative)
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If the verb takes an accusative object, the facultative reflexive pronoun is in the dative, e.g.:
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Das (acc.) überlege ich (mir) noch. |
Willst du (dir) den Film (
acc.) ansehen?
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