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indefinite pronouns
The function of the reflexive pronouns becomes clear when we compare, for instance, fragen (to ask) with sich fragen (to wonder):
Vater fragt ihn Vater fragt sich
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father is asking him (i.e. someone else) father is wondering (i.e. asking himself)
Most of the demonstratives and indefinite determiners listed in sections 3.4 and 3.6 can be used as PRONOUNS, with the same endings to indicate GENDER, NUMBER and CASE. This means that instead of being used with a following noun, they can substitute for a noun, often referring back to a noun or noun phrase already mentioned:
Ich will eine andere Tasche. Diese hier mag ich nicht. I want a different bag. I don’t like this one. Die Ameisen sind ja riesig. Solche habe ich noch nie The ants are enormous. I’ve never seen gesehen. ones like that. Sie hat einige gekauft. She bought some of them. Jeder hier kennt ihn. Everyone here knows him. Ich habe viel gelesen. I’ve read a lot. Hast du alles,was wir brauchen? Have you got everything we need? Derjenige,der das getan hat,soll sich melden. The one who (i.e. whoever) did this should put up their hand/give themselves up.
Unfortunately for the learner, some of the demonstratives, possessives etc. have special forms when used as pronouns.
Der/die/das
When used as a PRONOUN, the DEMONSTRATIVE der has special forms in the genitive case and the dative plural:
masculine feminine neuter plural
nominative der die das die accusative den die das die genitive dessen deren dessen deren dative dem der dem denen
NB These are also the forms of the RELATIVEPRONOUN, see 10.5.
Die sind viel zu teuer. Hast du gestern den Film gesehen?
Der war toll,was? Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch –ja,auf dem da drüben. Those ones are far too expensive. Did you see the film yesterday?
It was great, wasn’t it? The book is lying on the table –yes, on that one over there.
NB The genitive is generally used to replace an ambiguous possessive, e.g. Er kam mit seinem Freund und dessen Sohn. He came with his friend and the friend’s son.
Possessives
When used as PRONOUNS, the POSSESSIVES have distinct forms in the masculine nominative singular and the neuter nominative/accusative singular:
masculine feminine neuter plural
nominative meiner meine mein(e)s meine accusative meinen meine mein(e)s meine genitive meines meiner meines meiner dative meinem meiner meinem meinen
Wenn du ein Auto brauchst, kann ich dir mein(e)s (neut., sg., acc.) leihen. If you need a car, I can lend you mine. Das ist nicht mein Koffer, sondern deiner (masc., sg., nom.). That isn’t my suitcase, but yours. Ich fahre in deinem Wagen. In seinem habe ich immer Angst (masc.,sg., dat.). I’ll go in your car. I’m always frightened in his.
Einer/keiner
The PRONOUNS einer ‘one’ and keiner ‘none’ have the same endings as the possessive pronouns. This means that unlike the indefinite article, they have endings in the masculine nominative singular and the neuter nominative/accusative singular:
Das sind gute Birnen.Willst du eine? These are good pears. Do you want one? Habt ihr einen Hund? – Nein,wir haben keinen. Have you got a dog? – No, we don’t have one. einer dieser Männer …/eine dieser Frauen …/ One of these men/women/children
eines dieser Kinder
Sie sprach mit keiner dieser Damen/… mit She talked to none of these ladies/men. keinem dieser Männer.
Other common pronouns
Etwas (something, anything) has no case forms. It is often shortened to was in speech:
Ich habe etwas für Sie./Ich hab was für dich. I’ve got something for you. Er sagte ihr etwas. He told her something. Hast du was gesagt? Did you say something?
Jemand (somebody, someone) can have endings in the accusative (jemanden) and dative cases (jemandem), but it is used just as frequently without in both spoken and written German:
Ich habe jemand(en) gesehen. I saw someone. Wir haben mit jemand(em) gesprochen. We spoke to someone.
Nichts (nothing) has no case forms:
Nichts gefiel ihr dort! Aber ich habe nichts gesagt. Nothing there was to her liking. But I didn’t say anything.
NB Distinguish this from the negation with nicht, e.g. Es gefiel ihr nicht (She didn’t like it); Das habe ich nicht gesagt (I did not say that).
Niemand (nobody, no one) is used like jemand:
Sie hat niemand(en) getroffen. She met no one. Er hat sich bei niemand(em) bedankt. He did not thank anybody.
Was (what) refers to things. It has no case forms. After prepositions it is replaced by a compound formed with wo(r)- in standard German, e.g. wofür and wobei rather than für was and bei was:
Was hast du gesehen? What did you see? Womit schreibst du? Mit einem Bleistift? What are you writing with? With a pencil? Worüber sprechen Sie? – Über die Römer. What will you be talking about? – About the Romans.
Welcher (some, any) declines like dieser (see 3.4). It is frequent in speech:
Ich brauche Marken.Hast du welche? I need some stamps. Have you got some?
Wer (who) refers to persons. It has the case forms wen (accusative), wessen (genitive) and wem (dative):
Wen hast du dort gesehen? Wessen Bücher sind das? Mit wem hast du gespielt? Who(m) did you see there? Whose books are those? Who did you play with?
