Niw Englisc is based on the same pronouns of Old English, carried forward today:
| I | We two | We | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ic | wit | wiȝ |
| Genitive | mein | unker | user |
| Dative | miȝ | unk | us |
| Accusative | mic | unkit | usic |
Ȝȝ
| Thou | Ye two | Ye | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | þu | ȝit | ȝiȝ |
| Genitive | þein | inker | ȝuer |
| Dative | þiȝ | ink | ȝu |
| Accusative | þic | inkit | ȝuic |
Note: it is grammatically correct to use ȝit when referring to two people as a pair, rather than ȝiȝ.
| He | She | It | They | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | he | scie | it | hje |
| Genitive | his | her | his | hjer |
| Dative | him | her | him | hjem |
| Accusative | hin | scie/sca | it | hje |
Note: Third person pronouns agree in gender with the noun they reference, be it masculine, feminine, or plural.
Examples:
- He is an Hund. It is a dog.
- Scie is ane Rose. It is a rose.
In these cases, the pronoun used (he, scie) agrees with the grammatical gender of the noun, even though modern English uses 'it' in both cases.
Question Words: Who? What?
These words are similar to modern English, but with the question word agreeing in gender to the noun referenced. Who is used with persons, and What with things.
| Who? | What? | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ƕa | ƕat |
| Genitive | ƕas | ƕas |
| Dative | ƕam | ƕam |
| Accusative | ƕan | ƕat |
Examples:
- Ƕa is scie? Who is she?
- Ƕat is þat Þing? What is that thing?
Demonstrative Pronouns
Þe, Þat
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | þe | þat | þie | þie |
| Genitive | þes | þes | þer | þer |
| Dative | þem | þem | þer | þen |
| Accusative | þen | þat | þie | þie |
This pronoun can be translated as "the" or "that"
Þis
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | þis | þis | þisse | þisse |
| Genitive | þisses | þisses | þisser | þisser |
| Dative | þissem | þissem | þisser | þissen |
| Accusative | þissen | þis | þisse | þisse |
This demonstrative pronoun can be translated as "this" indicating something close by the speaker, as opposed to "þe" or further, "ȝon."
Ȝon
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ȝon | ȝon | ȝone | ȝone |
| Genitive | ȝones | ȝones | ȝoner | ȝoner |
| Dative | ȝonem | ȝonem | ȝoner | ȝonen |
| Accusative | ȝonen | ȝon | ȝone | ȝone |
This demonstrative pronoun can be translated as "that one (over there)" and indicates a farther distance than 'þe' either spatially or conversationally.
Example:
- Ic was in ȝoner Burg. I was in that city over there.
- Ic was in ȝoner Burg, na þisser Burg. I was in that city over there, not this city.
- Scie sprak ȝestern um ȝon Auto, and um þis Auto todæȝ. She spoke about that car yesterday, and this car today.
Each, Every
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ælc | ælc | ælce | ælce |
| Genitive | ælces | ælces | ælcer | ælcer |
| Dative | ælcem | ælcem | ælcer | ælcen |
| Accusative | ælcen | ælc | ælce | ælce |
This is an adjective that acts like a demonstrative. It is used like English 'each' or German 'jeder'.
Example:
- Ælc Auto hæfþ AC. Each car has AC.
- Innen ælces Huses findeþ man Glowperen. Inside of each house one finds lightbulbs.
Every one, Everything
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Æȝƕa | Æȝƕat | Æȝƕa |
| Genitive | Æȝƕas | Æȝƕas | Æȝƕas |
| Dative | Æȝƕam | Æȝƕam | Æȝƕam |
| Accusative | Æȝƕan | Æȝƕat | Æȝƕan |
Every (adj)
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Æȝƕilc | Æȝƕilc | Æȝƕilce | Æȝƕilce |
| Genitive | Æȝƕilces | Æȝƕilces | Æȝƕilcer | Æȝƕilcer |
| Dative | Æȝƕilcem | Æȝƕilcem | Æȝƕilcer | Æȝƕilcen |
| Accusative | Æȝƕilcen | Æȝƕilc | Æȝƕilce | Æȝƕilce |
Example:
- Every car is white: Æȝƕilc Auto is ƕeit.
- All cars can drive on the road: Æȝƕilce/Alle Autos kunneþ on þer Raad faren. Usually all is used to emphasize the group as a whole, while æȝƕilc emphasizes each individual of that group.
Other Pronouns
- Declined like an adjective:
- Æƕæðer: someone, any one
- Æniȝ: any
- Nan: none
- Næniȝ: none, not any
- Ƕæðer: which of two?
- Ƕilc: which of many?
- Ilc: the same; used with the definite article (þeilc, þesilcen, þemilcen)
- Naƕæðer: neither (of two)
- Natƕilc: someone (unknown)
- Swilc: such, the same, the like
- Þilc: such; (closer to the speaker, more concrete than 'swilc')
- Declined like pronouns:
- Geƕa: everyone
- Natƕa: someone (unknown)
Ȝȝ