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Demonstratives turning into hier/daar

A2Pronouns · lesson 8 of 57

An old-fashioned English way of saying "with that" or "for this" is "therewith" or "herefore". We call this a [pronominal adverb](#/lesson/Pronouns.Ad01).

In Dutch, this old-fashioned form is compulsory.

This is what happens:

preposition + dit/deze | | hier +preposition

preposition + dat/die | | daar +preposition

Note that this only applies to [independent demonstrative](#/lesson/Pronouns.De03) pronouns. A pronoun that precedes a noun (e.g. 'this book', 'that day ) is not independent. The examples below will illustrate the idea.

Recall that we use _dit_ and _dat_ for _het_-nouns, _deze_ and _die_ for _de_-nouns (including all plural nouns).

Examples of _dit_ and _deze_ turning into _hier_

_Deze_ (singular) -> _hier_

Ik heb van deze ervaring geleerd. | I have learned from this experience.

Ik heb hiervan geleerd.

Not: Ik heb ~~van deze~~ geleerd. | I have learned from this.

_Deze_ (plural) -> _hier_

Ze schreef over deze gebeurtenissen. | She wrote about these events.

Ze schreef hierover.

Not: Ze schreef ~~over deze~~. | She wrote about these.

_Dit_ (always singular) -> _hier_

Ze werden door dit nieuws verrast. | They were surprised by this news.

Ze werden hierdoor verrast.

Not: Ze werden ~~door dit~~ verrast. | They were surprised by this.

Examples of _dat_ and _die_ turning into _daar_

_Die_ (singular) -> _daar_

Hij ergerde zich aan die stank. | He was annoyed by that smell.

Hij ergerde zich daaraan.

Not: Hij ergerde zich ~~aan die~~. | He was annoyed by that.

_Die_ (plural) -> _daar_

Ze zaten achter die gordijnen. | They were behind those curtains.

Ze zaten daarachter.

Not: Ze zaten ~~achter die~~. | They were behind those.

_Dat_ (always singular) -> _daar_

Ze praten _over dat verhaal_'. | They are talking about that story.

Ze praten daarover.

Not: Ze praten ~~over dat~~. | They are talking about that.

Independent demonstratives Dit is (this is) and dit zijn (this 'are')
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