Norwegian, with its distinct grammar and vocabulary, is a fascinating language. People learning Norwegian often find it hard to know when to use the pronouns “de” and “dem.” In English, these two words both imply “they,” although they serve different grammatical functions. “De” is the subject form of “they,” whereas “dem” is the object form of “them.”
Use the correct pronoun form based on where it is in the sentence to avoid confusion and ensure your message is clear. In this post, we will look at how to use “de” and “dem” correctly in Norwegian, with examples to help you master these pronouns.
In Norwegian, “de” and “dem” are used as pronouns to refer to a group of people or things. However, they are used in different contexts based on their grammatical role in the sentence.
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Toggle“De” is the subject form of “they”
“De” is the subject form of “they” and refers to a group of people or things acting in the sentence. For example, in the sentence “De går til butikken” (They are going to the store), “de” is the subject of the sentence because it refers to the group of people who are performing the action of going to the store.
Other examples of “de” (subject form):
- De spiser frokost sammen. (They are eating breakfast together.)
- De løper i parken hver morgen. (They run in the park every morning.)
- De synger vakre sanger. (They sing beautiful songs.)
In these examples, “de” is used as the sentence’s subject because it refers to the people acting.
“Dem” is the object form of “they”
“Dem” is the object form of “they” and refers to a group of people or things receiving the action in the sentence. For example, in the sentence “Vi så dem på kinoen” (We saw them at the movie theatre.), “dem” is the object of the sentence because it refers to the group of people who are receiving the action of being seen at the movies.
Other examples of “dem” (object form):
- Vi kjøpte en gave til dem. (We bought a gift for them.)
- Kan du hjelpe dem med leksene? (Can you help them with their homework?)
- Jeg inviterte dem til bursdagsfesten min. (I invited them to my birthday party.)
In these examples, “dem” is used as the object of the sentence because it refers to the group of people receiving the action.
To summarize, properly using “de” and “dem” is critical for good Norwegian communication. Note that “de” is the subject form of the pronoun “them,” whereas “dem” is the object form. When choosing the proper form of a pronoun, it is vital to think about what the pronoun does in the sentence from a grammatical point of view.
You will quickly get comfortable using “de” and “dem” correctly in your Norwegian speech and writing with practice. We hope this article taught you how to use these essential pronouns in Norwegian.
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