this
det.the person, thing, or idea that is very close to you or that you just mentioned. You use it to point out something specific in the present moment.
det.a demonstrative used to identify a specific person, object, or concept currently present or recently mentioned. Functions as a deictic marker to establish immediate spatial or temporal proximity.
“This coffee is much better than the one I had yesterday.”
“I am reading this book because my professor recommended it during our last lecture.”
“While many scholars argue for a radical shift in policy, this particular study suggests that incremental changes are more sustainable in the long term.”
Typically precedes a singular countable noun or an uncountable noun. When used without a following noun, it functions as a demonstrative pronoun.
This must be used with singular nouns; use 'these' for plural nouns.
From Middle English this, from Old English þis (neuter demonstrative), from North Sea Germanic base þa- "that", from Proto-Germanic þat, from Proto-Indo-European tód, extended form of demonstrative base to-; + North-West Germanic definitive suffix -s, from Proto-Indo-European *só (“this, that”). Cognate with Scots this (“this”), Saterland Frisian dusse (“this”), West Frisian dizze (“this”), German dies, dieses (“this”), Old Gutnish þissi (“this”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
For Spanish speakers Spanish has no /ɪ/, so 'this' /ðɪs/ takes the high front /i/ and approaches 'these' /ðiːz/, blurring the singular–plural distinction.
Spanish has a three-way demonstrative system (este/ese/aquel), so 'this' is used for medium-distance referents that English marks with 'that'. Number agreement ('this car' vs 'these cars') is a further transfer error, since Spanish inflects the demonstrative differently.
For Mandarin speakers Mandarin lacks the voiced dental fricative /ð/, leading speakers to substitute the alveolar plosive /d/. This results in 'this' /ðɪs/ being pronounced as /dɪs/.
Mandarin uses the general demonstrative 这 (zhè) followed by a measure word (e.g., 这个 zhè ge) for both singular and plural contexts in some dialects, or relies on the measure word to indicate number. Consequently, learners frequently use 'this' where the plural 'these' is required, especially before plural nouns.
For Japanese speakers Japanese phonology lacks the voiced dental fricative /ð/, so speakers often substitute the voiced alveolar sibilant /z/, producing /zissɯ/ (jisusu). This occurs because Japanese does not feature the tongue-between-teeth position required for the English 'th' sound.
Japanese lacks a strict distinction between singular 'this' and plural 'these' in its demonstrative system (これ kore / この kono). Consequently, learners frequently use 'this' as a universal marker for both singular and plural nouns, particularly when the noun itself has no plural suffix.
For French speakers French speakers often substitute the dental fricative /ð/ with the alveolar plosive /d/, leading 'this' to sound like 'dis'. The contrast lies between the English interdental and the French dental /d/.
French uses the same demonstratives ('ce', 'cette', 'ces') for both proximal and distal meanings. Learners often over-rely on 'this' when 'that' is required, as French does not systematically enforce the spatial distinction between '-ci' and '-là' in casual speech.