These: Meaning, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：these (these)

these 🔊

/ðiːz/

pron.

Used to point to more than one thing that is close to you.

these 🔊

➕

/ðiːz/

pron.

Used to identify specific people or things that are physically close or have been recently mentioned.

📁 Category：Language Evolution 🔖 Level：beginner

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'þēs', plural of 'þes' (this). Related to Latin 'iste' and Greek 'οὗτος'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'these' as 'the + ease' – pointing to things close and easy to see.

📖 Example

These apples look the freshest, so I'll buy them. 🔊 These apples look the freshest, so I'll buy them.

🔗 Collocations

these days – currently; in modern times

one of these – a particular one among a group

these are – used to introduce or identify multiple items

🔄 Synonyms

those (pron.) – Pointing to things farther away or previously mentioned

they (pron.) – Third person plural pronoun referring to a group

the ones (pron.) – Used to specify particular items within a set

🚫 Antonyms

those (pron.) – Pointing to things farther away in distance or time

that (pron.) – Singular demonstrative for distant items

🌱 Derivatives

this (pron.) – Singular form of these, referring to one close item

thesewards (adv.) – Archaic: in this direction

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'these' has remained remarkably stable in English for over a thousand years, appearing in the earliest Old English texts as 'þās'.