Their vs. There vs. They're: Was ist der Unterschied?
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Master these three words by checking if you mean a place, a person's property, or a shortened 'they are'.
- Use 'There' for a place or to start a sentence, like 'There is my house'.
- Use 'Their' for possession, like 'That is their car'.
- Use 'They're' only as a shortcut for 'They are', like 'They're coming over'.
Overview
their, there und they're ist wohl das bekannteste Beispiel. Für dich als Deutschsprachiger ist das besonders tückisch, weil wir im Deutschen keine direkten Entsprechungen für diese drei Funktionen in einer einzigen Aussprache haben.Their ist ein Possessivpronomen (Besitzanzeige), there ist ein Adverb für einen Ort oder eine Existenzform, und they're ist eine Kontraktion aus they are. Im Deutschen haben wir für diese Konzepte völlig unterschiedliche Wörter: „ihr/ihre“ (Besitz), „dort/da“ (Ort) oder „es gibt“ (Existenz) und „sie sind“ (Subjekt + Verb).Maschinerie der Sätze verstehen. Jedes Wort hat eine spezifische Aufgabe.- 1
Their: Der Possessiv-Determiner (Besitzanzeigendes Begleitwort). Es entspricht dem deutschen Possessivpronomen „ihr“ oder „ihre“. Wichtig: Es steht IMMER vor einem Nomen. Es antwortet auf die Frage: „Wessen?“.
- Beispiel:
They signed their contract.(Wessen Vertrag? Ihr Vertrag.) - Es funktioniert nicht alleine. Du kannst nicht sagen:
I like their.Das ist grammatikalisch unvollständig, genau wie im Deutschen:Ich mag ihr.(Was magst du? Den Hund? Das Auto?)
- 1
There: Dieses Wort hat zwei Gesichter. Erstens als Ortsadverb (entspricht „dort“ oder „da“). Zweitens als „existentielles Pronomen“. Das ist der „Dummy-Subject“-Gebrauch. Im Deutschen nutzen wir dafür „es gibt“.
- Ort:
Put the bag over there.(Stell die Tasche dort hin.) - Existenz:
There is a problem.(Es gibt ein Problem.) Hier isttherekein Ort, sondern ein Platzhalter, weil das Englische ein Subjekt im Satz braucht.
- 1
They're: Dies ist eine Kontraktion (Zusammenziehung) austhey+are. Es entspricht genau dem deutschen „sie sind“. Wenn du dir unsicher bist, mache den „Ersetzungstest“: Kannst du „they are“ einsetzen und der Satz ergibt noch Sinn? Wenn ja, istthey'rekorrekt.
Their: Nutze es, wenn du Zugehörigkeit ausdrückst. „The team finished their project.“ (Das Projekt des Teams.)There: Nutze es für Orte oder um neue Informationen einzuführen. „There are three new colleagues starting today.“ (Es gibt drei neue Kollegen.)They're: Nutze es nur, wenn du eine Eigenschaft oder Handlung beschreibst. „They're very motivated.“ (Sie sind sehr motiviert.)
- 1Der Kontraktions-Fehler: Viele Deutsche schreiben "they're
statttheir", weil sie beim Sprechen nicht zwischen dem Possessivpronomen und der Kontraktion unterscheiden. Grund: Im Deutschen gibt es keine Kontraktion für „sie sind“, die wie „ihr“ klingt. - 2Die
There-is/are-Verwirrung: Deutsche Lernende sagen oftThere is two people
, weil sie dasThereals festen Block sehen. Im Englischen muss das Verb aber mit dem Nomen übereinstimmen, das folgt.There are two people
ist korrekt, dapeoplePlural ist. - 3Das fehlende Nomen bei
Their: Deutsche Lernende versuchen manchmaltheirals Pronomen alleinstehend zu nutzen (fälschlicherweise wie „das Ihre“). Abertheirbraucht immer ein Nomen danach.
there |their |- Kann ich
theirjemals ohne Nomen benutzen? Nein,theirist ein Begleiter. Wenn du keinen Besitz erwähnst, brauchst du das Pronomentheirs(das Ihre). - Wie merke ich mir den Unterschied am besten? Nutze den Ersetzungstest: Wenn du „they are“ einsetzen kannst, nimm
they're. Wenn du „dort“ sagen kannst, nimmthere. Wenn du „ihr/ihre“ sagen kannst, nimmtheir. - Ist
thereimmer ein Ort? Nein, wie erklärt, fungiert es auch als Platzhalter für „es gibt“. Denke an das deutsche „es gibt“, das hat auch nichts mit einem Ort zu tun.
Grammatical Roles of the Triple T
| Word | Part of Speech | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
There
|
Adverb / Pronoun
|
Points to a location or introduces a subject
|
There is the bus.
|
|
Their
|
Possessive Adjective
|
Shows ownership by a group or person
|
It is their turn.
|
|
They're
|
Contraction
|
Short for 'They are'
|
They're very busy.
|
Contractions and Full Forms
| Contraction | Full Form | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
They're
|
They are
|
Common in speech and informal writing.
|
|
They're not
|
They are not
|
Standard negative contraction.
|
|
They aren't
|
They are not
|
Alternative negative contraction.
|
Meanings
These three words are homophones, meaning they sound identical but have completely different meanings and spellings based on whether you are referring to a location, ownership, or a state of being.
There (Location)
An adverb used to point out a specific place or position.
“Please put the box over there on the table.”
“I have never been there before.”
Their (Possession)
A possessive adjective used to show that something belongs to a group of people (or sometimes a single person).
“Their house is the largest one on the block.”
“The students forgot their homework.”
They're (Contraction)
A shortened form of the pronoun 'they' and the verb 'are'.
“They're going to the beach tomorrow.”
“I think they're very talented musicians.”
There (Expletive/Introductory)
Used to introduce a sentence or clause where the subject comes after the verb.
“There are many reasons to learn English.”
“There seems to be a mistake in the bill.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Locative Adverb
|
There + Verb
|
There goes the sun.
|
|
Existential Pronoun
|
There + is/are + Noun
|
There is a problem.
|
|
Possessive
|
Their + Noun
|
Their car is blue.
|
|
Singular Their
|
Person + their + Noun
|
Everyone has their own style.
|
|
Affirmative Contraction
|
They're + Adjective/Verb-ing
|
They're coming home.
|
|
Negative Contraction
|
They're + not + Adjective
|
They're not ready.
|
|
Question Form (There)
|
Is/Are + there + Noun?
|
Is there any water?
|
|
Question Form (They're)
|
Are + they + Adjective?
|
Are they happy? (No contraction in questions)
|
Formalitätsspektrum
The keys are located there, on the sideboard. (Daily life)
The keys are over there. (Daily life)
Keys are there. (Daily life)
Yo, keys are right there. (Daily life)
The Triple T Map
There
- Place Location
- Existence There is/are
Their
- Belonging Ownership
- People Them
They're
- They are Action/State
Quick Visual Check
Which 'T' should I use?
Can you replace it with 'They are'?
Does it show ownership?
Usage Categories
Location
- • Over there
- • There it is
- • Stay there
Ownership
- • Their house
- • Their idea
- • Their problem
Action
- • They're running
- • They're late
- • They're kind
Beispiele nach Niveau
Look over there!
Look at that place!
That is their dog.
The dog belongs to them.
They're very happy.
They are very happy.
There is a car.
A car exists in that spot.
Is there any milk in the fridge?
Does milk exist in the fridge?
The children lost their toys.
The toys belonging to the children are lost.
They're going to the park now.
They are going to the park now.
Put your shoes there.
Put your shoes in that place.
There are several options for the project.
Several options exist for the project.
The employees expressed their concerns to the boss.
The concerns belonging to the employees were shared.
They're likely to win the championship this year.
They are likely to win.
I've lived there for ten years.
I have lived in that place for a decade.
There appears to be a misunderstanding regarding the contract.
A misunderstanding seems to exist.
The researchers published their findings in a prestigious journal.
The findings of the researchers were published.
They're constantly innovating to stay ahead of the competition.
They are constantly innovating.
Go there and see for yourself.
Travel to that location to verify.
There remains a significant gap between the two theories.
A gap still exists.
The committee members voiced their unanimous support for the proposal.
The support of the committee was unanimous.
They're essentially arguing that the economy is self-correcting.
They are essentially arguing.
The treasure was hidden there, beneath the ancient oak.
The treasure was in that specific spot.
Therein lies the fundamental paradox of modern existence.
In that place/fact lies the paradox.
The protagonists were forced to confront their own mortality.
They confronted the fact that they will die.
They're arguably the most influential poets of the Victorian era.
It is argued that they are the most influential.
Should you go there, you will find the ruins of the old city.
If you travel to that place.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both involve a possessive adjective and a contraction that sound identical.
The possessive 'its' does NOT have an apostrophe, which confuses learners who expect 's to show possession.
Learners sometimes use 'there' when the object is close to them.
Häufige Fehler
I go to they're house.
I go to their house.
There happy.
They're happy.
Look at their!
Look at that / Look over there!
Is they're a cat?
Is there a cat?
The dogs ate there food.
The dogs ate their food.
They're is a problem.
There is a problem.
I like they're car.
I like their car.
The team lost they're momentum.
The team lost its/their momentum.
There not coming.
They're not coming.
Its over their.
It's over there.
The authors' argue that there perspective is unique.
The authors argue that their perspective is unique.
Satzmuster
There is a ___ in the ___.
They're ___ because of their ___.
I went there to see their ___.
There are many people who think they're ___.
Real World Usage
They're almost here, just park over there.
The team has submitted their final report.
Is there a pharmacy near the hotel?
I love their outfits in this photo!
I am impressed by their company culture.
Leave the food there by the door.
The 'They Are' Test
Spellcheck isn't enough
The 'Here' Trick
Singular Their
Smart Tips
Stop and say 'they are'. If it sounds weird, change it to 'their' or 'there'.
Remember that 'there' is the opposite of 'here'. Both words end in 'ere'.
Check if a noun follows the word. 'Their' almost always has a noun right after it.
Avoid 'they're' entirely. Writing 'they are' prevents spelling mistakes and sounds more professional.
Aussprache
Homophone Identity
All three words are pronounced exactly the same in most dialects: /ðɛər/.
The 'Th' Sound
The 'th' is voiced. Your tongue should touch your upper teeth and vibrate.
Emphasis on 'There'
It's ↘THERE.
Emphasizing the specific location when someone can't find something.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
tHERE contains HERE (place). tHEIR contains HEIR (someone who inherits/owns). they'RE contains aRE.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a map with a pin for 'there', a group of people holding a box for 'their', and a giant 'A' being crushed by an apostrophe for 'they're'.
Rhyme
If it's a place, 'there' is the case. If they own the bear, it's 'their' to share. If 'they are' is what you mean, 'they're' is the queen.
Story
The twins went to the park. They're very excited to play. They left their ball over there by the big oak tree.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write three sentences about your neighbors using one of each word correctly.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Mixing these up online often leads to 'Grammar Nazis' correcting you. It's one of the most mocked mistakes on Reddit and Twitter.
Using 'their' as a singular pronoun for non-binary individuals is now standard in many English-speaking cultures and style guides like APA and MLA.
In some Southern US dialects, 'there' might be pronounced with a slight drawl, but it remains a homophone with the others in that specific accent.
Each word has a distinct Germanic or Norse root that converged in sound over centuries.
Gesprächseinstiege
Have you seen my phone? I thought I left it there.
What do you think of their new album?
They're planning a trip to Japan. Would you go with them?
There is a lot of debate about AI. What's your take?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
___ going to be very surprised when they see the gift.
The students left ___ books in the classroom.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is they're any coffee left in the pot?
over / car / is / there / their
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Select the grammatically perfect sentence.
___ is no reason to be angry.
Find and fix the mistake:
I think there very nice people.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercises___ going to be very surprised when they see the gift.
The students left ___ books in the classroom.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is they're any coffee left in the pot?
over / car / is / there / their
1. There, 2. Their, 3. They're
Select the grammatically perfect sentence.
___ is no reason to be angry.
Find and fix the mistake:
I think there very nice people.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesIs ___ any milk left in the fridge?
The cats are enjoying ___ new toys.
Choose the correct sentence:
I can't believe their finally finished with the project!
Arrange these words into a sentence:
___ planning to launch ___ new clothing line next month.
Match the words to their functions:
Translate into English: 'Son mis amigos. Están allí y ese es su coche.'
There are many reasons for they're decision.
Choose the correct sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Translate into English: 'Pienso que van a dejar sus maletas allí.'
Match the beginning of the sentence with the right ending:
Score: /13
FAQ (8)
Yes! This is called the 'singular they'. It is used when you don't know the person's gender or want to be inclusive. Example: `Someone left their phone.`
Because the words sound identical, the brain sometimes picks the most common spelling (`there`) without thinking about the grammar.
No, `thei're` is not a word. You are likely thinking of `they're`.
Yes, usually as an adverb of place. Example: `I'll meet you there.`
Look at the spelling: it has `heir` in it. An heir is someone who owns things!
Generally, no. In formal academic writing, it is better to write out `they are`.
Use `there is` for singular nouns (`There is a cat`) and `there are` for plural nouns (`There are cats`).
Not always. It can also be an 'expletive' used just to start a sentence, like `There is a chance of rain.`
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
allí / su / ellos son
Spanish doesn't have homophones for these three concepts.
là / leur / ils sont
French uses distinct phonemes for place and possession.
dort / ihr / sie sind
German grammar is more complex but orthographically distinct.
asoko / karera no / karera wa... desu
Japanese is agglutinative and visually distinct in script.
hunaka / -hum / hum
Possession is a suffix, not a separate word.
nàlǐ / tāmen de / tāmen shì
Tones and characters make these impossible to confuse in Chinese.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Verwandte Videos
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