derselbe
/deːɐ̯ˈzɛlbə/
The English phrase "the same" is translated into German as derselbe.
derselbe is used to refer to one single person or thing rather than two different ones of the same type. The word identisch can also be used to express "the same" in technical or scientific contexts.
Which one should you use?
Use derselbe when referring to one single, identical entity. In contrast, gleich is used for things that are similar or share qualities but are distinct entities. Note that gleich can also mean "soon" or "right away".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word must change its ending to match the gender, number and case of the noun it modifies. The feminine form is dieselbe, the neuter form is dasselbe and the plural form is dieselben. For example, in the masculine accusative case, the form becomes denselben.
How do you pronounce it?
/deːɐ̯ˈzɛlbə/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use gleich when they actually mean derselbe. Remember that gleich implies similarity, while derselbe implies identity.
Did you know?
- If you use derselbe when describing two different objects that look alike, a German speaker might jokingly ask if you believe in telepathy or magic.
- The phrase gleichfalls is a common way to return a greeting or a wish, essentially meaning 'the same to you'.
- The word derselbe is actually a 'univerbation', meaning it was formed by smashing two separate words, der and 'selbe', together into one single unit.
Examples in context
- Der Sinn ist derselbe.It means the same thing.Tatoeba #9363368 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10579835 by sundown
- Ich bin derselben Ansicht.I'm of the same opinion.Tatoeba #1758577 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2706654 by sundown
- Ich bin immer noch derselbe.I'm still the same.Tatoeba #10166424 by wolfgangth, translation #5975498 by CK
- Die Ergebnisse sind gleich.The results are the same.
- Wir haben die gleiche Meinung.We have the same opinion.
- Die beiden Formeln sind identisch.The two formulas are the same.
- Ist das dasselbe Buch wie gestern?Is that the same book as yesterday?
- Es schmeckt immer gleich, egal ob heiß oder kalt.It always tastes the same, whether hot or cold.
- Wir haben den gleichen Geschmack.We have the same taste.
- Das ist genau dasselbe Problem wie letztes Mal.That's exactly the same problem as last time.
- 94 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are looking at a photo of a man.
- FelixIst das der Lehrer von früher?Is that the teacher from before?
- JuliaJa, das ist derselbe Mann.Yes, that is the same man.
- FelixEr sieht jetzt ganz anders aus.He looks completely different now.
- JuliaStimmt, aber er ist immer noch derselbe.True, but he is still the same person.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry derselbe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries derselbe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
