AS Grammar: Determiners

Determiners in German: General Overview

Determiners are words that identify or quantify a noun, making clear what is being mentioned.
In German, determiners include the definite article (der, die, das), indefinite article (ein, eine), and other words like this/these (dieser, diese) and every (jeder).
They always precede the noun they refer to and agree in gender, case and number.
Each type of determiner has its specific function to clarify the noun, its specificity, quantity, or reference.

Definite and Indefinite Articles

The definite articles in German are similar to the English ‘the’: der, die, das. They specify a certain referent.
Indefinite articles (ein, eine) equate to English’s ‘a, an’. They are used when the noun referred to is not specific.
Always match the article with the gender, case and number of the noun.

Demonstrative Determiners

Demonstrative determiners are used to point to specific people, animals, objects or ideas. They are equivalent to English’s ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’, ‘those’.
In German, they are dieser (this), diese (these) and agree in gender, case and number with the noun.

Possessive Determiners

Show ownership or possession. They are equivalent to English’s ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘his’, ‘her’, ‘our’, ‘their’.
In German, possessive determiners include mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr.
They always conform to the noun’s gender, case, and number.

Interrogative Determiners

Used to form questions. Their equivalent in English is ‘which’ or ‘what’.
The common German interrogative determiner is ‘welcher’ and its variations.

Indefinite Determiners

Refer to non-specific quantity or number and include words like ‘all’, ‘many’, ‘some’.
Common German indefinite determiners include alle (‘all’), viel (‘much/many’), ein wenig (‘a little’), and einige (‘some’).

Negation Determiners

Used to denote the absence of something.
Kein (no) is the most common one. Compare: “Ich habe keinen Apfel” (I have no apple).

Remember, practice is essential to have a solid grasp on determiners. Be sure to practice with real examples and review your work to check for errors.