Help with German, easy question, word for these?

Question

I've been studying german for over a year now and I'm about halfway done learning it, but i still am confused over the word for "these". Now I see it all the time, but I never have understood how to use it. Is it diese, dieses, dieser, or what?

I really don't know when to use each form and I'd appreciate help because I find myself midsentence and then I have to start the sentence over to reword it because i can't say "these". Thanks!

Answer 1

Depends on case and gender. It should be quite easy to decide which one to choose if you consider that there is a basic form, "dies-". Now you just have to attach the definite article of the object and you will see which form you have to use, e.g. "dies-" + "dER" = "diesER":

dies + die = diese

dies + der = dieser

dies + das = dieses

dies + den = diesen

dies + dem = diesem

It's that simple... :)

Answer 2

"These" can be diese, dieses, dieser, or diesem depending on whether it is used as the subject, direct object, indirect object, or possessive. German has four cases and three genders, making it exponentially harder than English (which has one case and one gender). I've been studying it for five years and make these mistakes all the time.

Also, you're never done learning a language.

Answer 3

they are last name i think

Answer 4

The word "dieser "follows the same pattern as "the"

If the noun (following diese) is:

(this)

masculine and nominative (subject) - dieser  

masculine and accusative (direct object) - diesen

masculine and dative (indirect object) - diesem

masculine and genitive (possessive) - dieses

(this)

feminine and nominative - diese

feminine and accusative - diese

feminine and dative - dieser

feminine and genitive - dieser

(this)

neuter and nominative - dieses

neuter and accusative - dieses

neuter and dative - diesem

neuter and genitive - dieses

(these)

plural and nominative - diese

plural and accusative - diese

plural and dative - diesen

plural and genitive - dieser