How to Say "This" in Old English

þes

/θeːs/masculine

The English phrase 'this' is translated into Old English as þes. Wiktionary also lists þēos.

Meaning: the thing, item, etc. being indicated (pron)

Ways to say it

“this” in Old English
Old English	IPA	Note
þes	/θeːs/	masculine
þēos		feminine

The word refers to the thing, item, etc. being indicated.

The form used depends on the grammatical gender of the noun being modified. Use þes for masculine nouns and þēos for feminine nouns.

The word for 'this' must agree in grammatical gender with the noun it modifies, using þes for masculine, þēos for feminine and þis for neuter.

/θeːs/

The 'þ' in þes is known as 'thorn'. Scribes were already replacing it with 'th' in Middle English, and printing finished the change.
Poets used the 'th' sound in þes to craft alliteration, a technique where starting sounds are repeated to create a rhythmic, musical beat in a poem.
The letter þ in þes is the same letter that modern Icelandic still uses today.

Þes æppel biþ rēad.
This apple is red.
This sentence is useful for describing the color of an apple using þes.
Tatoeba #8761563 by shekitten, translation #7682208 by deniko
Þes mann is mīn ēam.
This man is my uncle.
This sentence is useful for identifying a person as an uncle using þes.
Tatoeba #13884440 by rul, translation #13635280 by rul
Þes æppel is rēadra.
This apple is redder.
This sentence is useful for comparing the color of an apple using þes.
Tatoeba #13913004 by rul, translation #2654850 by shekitten
3 more sentences on Tatoeba

Godric and Mildryth are looking at a handcrafted wooden bowl.

Sources

Wiktionary, “this” translations and entries þes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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