(:title Dit is (this is) and dit zijn (this are):)
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PICS:arrowlink.gif"internal link" [[FORUM:quiz.php?c=7 | Pronouns exercises]] PICS:link_icon.gif"link"[[AXS:ax.pl?http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsAPronoun.htm" | What is a pronoun? SIL International]]
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In Dutch, "This are nice books" is a perfectly correct way to say that you think the books are nice. 
 
Because this phenomenon is identical to what happens to the personal pronoun [[Pronouns.ps04 | 'het']], we will use the same examples.

* Where the English say 'these are [+noun]', the Dutch say 'dit zijn [+noun]'. 
* For 'those are [+noun]', the Dutch say 'dat zijn [+noun]'. 

As you can see, singular ''dit/dat'' (this/that) does not correspond with plural 'zijn' (are) or 'waren' (were).
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(:table width='90%' align='center' cellspacing='0' class='gray':)
(:cellnr width='50%' class='gray':)'''Dit zijn''' inheemse planten.
(:cell class='i':)These indigenous plants. \\
[lit: This are indigenous plants]
(:cellnr class='gray':)'''Dat waren''' aardige buren.
(:cell class='i':)Those were nice neighbours. \\
[lit: That were nice neighbours]
(:tableend:)

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We only do this when 'these/those' is linked to a noun. 'Indigenous plants', and '(nice) neighbours' are  nouns.

If 'these/those' is linked to an adjective, the Dutch use the independent demonstratives [[de03 | deze/die]].
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(:table width='90%' align='center' cellspacing='0' class='gray':)
(:cellnr width='50%' class='gray':)[Deze planten] \\
'''Deze zijn ''' inheems.
(:cell class='i':)[these plants] \\
These are indigenous.
(:cellnr class='gray':)[Die buren] \\
'''Die waren''' aardig.
(:cell class='i':)[those neighbours] \\
Those were nice
(:tableend:)

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'Indigenous', and 'nice' are adjectives. 

If we put  the examples in one table, it is easy to see the difference.
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(:table width='90%' align='center' cellspacing='0' class='gray':)
(:cellnr width='50%' class='gray':)'''Dit zijn''' inheemse planten \\
'''Deze zijn''' inheems.
(:cell class='i':)These are indigenous plants. \\
These are indigenous.
(:cellnr class='gray':)'''Dat waren''' aardige buren. \\
'''Die waren''' aardig.
(:cell class='i':)Those were nice neighbours. \\
Those were nice.
(:tableend:)
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