den der/det der
That (Den Der/det Der)
In spoken Danish, 'den der' (common gender) and 'det der' (neuter) are the standard ways to say 'that'. They are used to point at objects or people distant from the speaker.
How It Works
1. Gender and Number Agreement
The demonstrative must match the gender of the noun it points to:
- den der + common gender (en-words): den der bil (that car)
- det der + neuter gender (et-words): det der hus (that house)
- de der + plural (all genders): de der sko (those shoes)
2. Noun Form and Adjectives
When you use 'den der', the noun stays in its indefinite form (no -en/-et suffix). However, any adjectives must use the definite -e ending. Example: den der store hund (that big dog).
3. The 'Split' Construction
In casual spoken Danish, it is very common to place the noun between the pronoun and 'der'. This sounds very natural: den bil der instead of den der bil.
4. Pronominal Use
These forms can stand alone without a noun when the context is clear: "Hvad er det der?" (What is that?) or "Jeg vil have den der." (I want that one).
5. Distance
Danish distinguishes clearly between distance:
- den her = This (near me)
- den der = That (away from me)
Examples (6)
- Den der kage smager fantastisk!
That cake tastes fantastic!
Word by Word: That there cake tastes fantastic!
'Kage' is a common gender noun (en kage), so we use 'den der'.
- Kan du række mig det der glas?
Can you hand me that glass?
Word by Word: Can you hand me that there glass?
'Glas' is a neuter noun (et glas), so we use 'det der'.
- Den store bil der er meget hurtig.
That big car there is very fast.
Word by Word: That big car there is very fast.
In spoken Danish, the noun often splits the phrase 'den... der'. Note that the adjective 'store' takes the definite -e ending.
- Hvad er det der?
What is that?
Word by Word: What is that there?
'Det der' can stand alone as a pronoun when pointing at an unknown object.
- Jeg vil gerne have de der æbler.
I would like those apples.
Word by Word: I will gladly have those there apples.
'De der' is used for all plural nouns, regardless of gender.
- Jeg tager den der.
I'll take that one.
Word by Word: I take that there.
'Den der' functions as a standalone pronoun here, referring to a specific common-gender item.
Common Mistakes
Using the definite form of the noun after 'den der'.
den der bilenden der bilThis is called double definiteness and is incorrect here. The noun must remain in its base (indefinite) form.
Forgetting the -e ending on adjectives.
den der stor bilden der store bilEven though the noun is indefinite, the demonstrative 'den der' makes the whole phrase definite, so adjectives must take the -e ending.
Using 'det der' for common gender nouns.
det der stolden der stolYou must match the gender of the noun. Since it is 'en stol', you must use 'den der'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'den der' and 'det der' correctly, you must first understand Danish noun genders (common vs. neuter) to select the correct pronoun. It is also helpful to be familiar with the 'den her/det her' construction, as this pattern functions identically but indicates a further distance.
Related Patterns
- de her/de derThese / Those
The plural forms of these demonstratives, meaning 'these' and 'those'.
Level 1 - den/detIt (Den/det)
The basic pronouns which form the first part of the 'den der' construction.
Level 1 - No Double Definiteness
The grammatical rule explaining why nouns stay indefinite after demonstratives.
Level 2 - denne/dette/disseThis / These (Formal)
The formal written equivalent for demonstratives.
Level 3 - her/derHere / There
The basic words for 'here' and 'there' that provide the locational sense to these phrases.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice den der/det der in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Danish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
