Possessive pronouns (die/dat van)

Avoiding Noun Repetition: "That of"

When comparing cars or their features, repeating the same noun can sound clunky. In English, we avoid this by using "that of" or "the one of" (e.g., "The range of this car is larger than that of the competitor").

In Dutch, you do this with die van or dat van. Which one you use depends on the gender of the noun you are replacing.

If the noun is a de-word (or any plural word), use die van.

If the noun is a het-word, such as het verbruik (the consumption), use dat van.

Expressing "Mine" and "Yours"

To say "mine," "yours," "his," or "theirs," English uses standalone possessive words. Dutch keeps it simple by using the exact same "that of" structure, followed by a standard object pronoun (mij, jou, u, hem, haar, ons, jullie, hen).

For example, "mine" translates literally as "that of me" (die van mij or dat van mij).

Whether you use die or dat still depends entirely on the noun being replaced. For a het-word, you must use dat van.

This applies equally to informal pronouns like jou (you).

More Comparisons

This structure is highly versatile. You can use it to refer to a different model's components, or even a different point in time (e.g., "the one from yesterday").