Dieser, jener and jeder (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Dieser, jener and jeder
What are these words?
Dieser, jener, and jeder are important German words that help you point out specific things or talk about frequency. Understanding how to use them correctly will improve your German significantly.
These three words are essential demonstrative adjectives that you'll encounter frequently in German texts and conversations.
- dieser = this
- jener = that
- jeder = each/every
These three words work as demonstrative adjectives and follow exactly the same declension pattern as the definite articles der/die/das. This makes them easier to learn since you already know the pattern!
Declension patterns
Since dieser, jener, and jeder follow the same pattern as der/die/das, you need to change their endings depending on the case and gender of the noun they describe.
The key to mastering these words is remembering that they use identical endings to the definite articles you already know!
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | dieser | diese | dieses | diese |
| Accusative | diesen | diese | dieses | diese |
| Dative | diesem | dieser | diesem | diesen |
| Genitive | dieses | dieser | dieses | dieser |
The same endings apply to jener and jeder:
- jener/jene/jenes/jene (that)
- jeder/jede/jedes/jede (each/every)
Exam tip: Remember that jener is mainly used in Higher tier papers. Focus on mastering dieser and jeder first.
Using these words in context
Here are some practical examples showing how these words work in real German sentences:
Worked Example: Using dieser (this)
- Dieser Zug fährt nach Berlin. (This train goes to Berlin.)
- Diese Woche habe ich viel zu tun. (This week I have lots to do.)
- Mit diesem Bus fährt er. (He travels with this bus.)
Notice how the endings change: dieser (nominative masculine), diese (nominative feminine), diesem (dative masculine).
Worked Example: Using jeder (each/every)
- Jeder Fluss ist sehr bekannt. (Every river is very famous.)
- Jede Woche gehe ich schwimmen. (Every week I go swimming.)
- Jedes Jahr besuchen wir Deutschland. (Every year we visit Germany.)
Here you can see: jeder (nominative masculine), jede (nominative feminine), jedes (nominative neuter).
Useful phrases for comparison:
- Auf diese Weise = in this way
- Welcher... jener = which... that (the former... the latter)
Time expressions with dieser and jeder
Time expressions using dieser and jeder are extremely useful for both speaking and writing tasks. When making statements about definite time, these expressions are always in the accusative case.
Key Grammar Point: Time expressions with these words automatically use the accusative case, regardless of their function in the sentence.
Common time expressions with jeder:
- jeden Tag = every day
- jeden Morgen = every morning
- jeden Nachmittag = every afternoon
- jeden Abend = every evening
- jeden Samstag/Donnerstag = every Saturday/Thursday
- jede Woche = every week
- jeden Monat = every month
- jedes Jahr = every year
Time expressions with dieser:
- diese Woche = this week
- diesen Monat = this month
- dieses Jahr = this year
Exam tip: These time expressions frequently appear in listening and reading papers, so make sure you recognise them quickly. They're also excellent for adding detail to your speaking and writing tasks.
Practice exercises
Translation Practice: German → English
- Diese Woche habe ich viel zu tun.
- Welches Kleid hast du gekauft?
- Mit welchem Bus fährt er?
- Wir haben jedes Jahr im Dezember eine Party.
- Kennst du jenen Lehrer?
Answers:
- This week I have lots to do.
- Which dress did you buy?
- Which bus does he travel with?
- We have a party every year in December.
- Do you know that teacher?
Translation Practice: English → German
- This book is very interesting.
- Every morning I drink coffee.
Answers:
- Dieses Buch ist sehr interessant.
- Jeden Morgen trinke ich Kaffee.
Key Points to Remember:
- Dieser means "this", jener means "that", and jeder means "each/every"
- All three words follow the same declension pattern as der/die/das
- Time expressions with these words are always in the accusative case
- Jeder is particularly useful for talking about routine and frequency
- Focus on dieser and jeder for Foundation tier - jener is mainly Higher tier
- Practice recognising these words quickly in listening and reading tasks