Dieser, jener and welcher (AQA GCSE German): Revision Notes
Dieser, jener and welcher
What are diese words?
In German, dieser (this), jeder (each/every), and welcher (which) are important determiners that help you point out specific things or ask questions. These words are essential for daily conversation and writing, as they allow you to be precise about what you're referring to.
The brilliant thing about these three words is that they all decline in exactly the same way as the definite articles der, die, and das. This means once you've mastered the pattern for the definite articles, you can apply the same endings to dieser, jeder, and welcher.
Declension pattern
These determiners change their endings depending on the gender of the noun they're describing and the case being used in the sentence. Here's how they work across all four cases:
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | dieser/jeder/welcher | diese/jede/welche | dieses/jedes/welches | diese/jede/welche |
| Accusative | diesen/jeden/welchen | diese/jede/welche | dieses/jedes/welches | diese/jede/welche |
| Dative | diesem/jedem/welchem | dieser/jeder/welcher | diesem/jedem/welchem | diesen/jeden/welchen |
| Genitive | dieses/jedes/welches | dieser/jeder/welcher | dieses/jedes/welches | dieser/jeder/welcher |
Notice how the endings are identical to those of der/die/das. If you can remember "der nette Mann" becomes "den netten Mann" in the accusative, then "dieser nette Mann" becomes "diesen netten Mann" in exactly the same way.
Using these words in context
These determiners are incredibly versatile and appear in many everyday situations. You'll use dieser when pointing to something specific that's close by, jeder when talking about every single item in a group, and welcher when asking questions about choices.
Worked Example: Context Usage
Dieser (this):
- Dieser Zug fährt nach Berlin. - This train goes to Berlin.
- Diese Woche habe ich viel zu tun. - This week I have a lot to do.
Jeder (each/every):
- Jeder Schüler war da. - Every pupil was there.
- Jeder Monat fahren wir an die Küste. - Every month we travel to the coast.
Welcher (which):
- Welches Buch möchten Sie? - Which book would you like?
- Mit welchem Zug wollen Sie fahren? - Which train do you want to travel on?
Time expressions
German uses dieser and jeder frequently in time expressions. These are particularly useful for speaking and writing tasks, as they help you discuss when things happen.
With jeder (every):
- jeder Tag - every day
- jeder Morgen - every morning
- jeder Nachmittag - every afternoon
- jeder Abend - every evening
- jede Woche - every week
- jeder Monat - every month
- jedes Jahr - every year
With dieser (this):
- diese Woche - this week
- diesen Monat - this month
- dieses Jahr - this year
Time expressions are incredibly common in German conversation. Learning these phrases will immediately improve your ability to talk about schedules, habits, and plans.
Useful vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| dieser/diese/dieses | this |
| jeder/jede/jedes | each/every |
| welcher/welche/welches | which |
| der Zug | train |
| die Woche | week |
| das Buch | book |
| der Beruf | profession |
| fahren | to travel/drive |
| möchten | would like |
| verstehen | to understand |
Grammar and pronunciation tips
When using these words, always remember that they must agree with the gender and case of the noun they're describing.
Common Mistake to Avoid: The most common mistake students make is forgetting to change the ending when the case changes. Always check: What gender is my noun? What case am I using?
Pronunciation tip: The 'ch' in 'welcher' is pronounced like the 'ch' in the Scottish word 'loch' - it's a soft, breathy sound made at the back of the throat.
Grammar tip: In time expressions, when you make a statement about a definite time, it's always in the accusative case. For example, diesen Montag (this Monday) uses the accusative because you're expressing a specific point in time.
Translation exercises
Practice Exercises
German to English:
- Diese Woche habe ich viel zu tun.
- Welches Kleid hast du gekauft?
English to German: 3. Which profession does he have? 4. Every pupil was there.
Answers:
- This week I have a lot to do.
- Which dress did you buy?
- Welchen Beruf hat er?
- Jeder Schüler war da.
Key Points to Remember:
- Dieser, jeder, and welcher all follow the same declension pattern as der, die, das
- Dieser means "this" and refers to something close or current
- Jeder means "each" or "every" and is great for time expressions
- Welcher means "which" and is used for asking questions about choices
- Always match the gender and case of the noun you're describing