Singular Old English Approximate English Translation

So let's start with the demonstrative se "that". Its forms are: Singular Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter All Genders Nom. sē sēo, sīo þæt þā Acc. þone þā þæt þā Gen. þæs þǽre þæs þāra, þǽra Dat. þǽm þǽre þǽm, þām þǽm, þām Inst. þŷ, þon þǽre þŷ, þon þǽm Another demonstrative þes "this" has the forms: Singular Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter All Genders Nom. þes þēos þis þās Acc. þisne þās þis þās Gen. þisses þisse, þisre þisses þissa, þisra Dat. þissum þisse þissum þissum Inst. þŷ þŷs The words this, an, that, and the all qualify their nouns in some way. It is worth looking at the different ways that they operate: this man a unique man here that man a unique man somewhere else a man any old man - some men any old men - the man a unique man - We now know how to say "this", "that", "these" and "those". But what about "the" or "a"? Unlike "this" or "that", these words don't specify a spacial relationship but say how specific a noun is. When we say "the man" we mean one particular man, but when we say "a man" we mean any man. Because of this "the" and "a" are often known as the definite article and the indefinite article respectively, but the group of words that includes "the", "a" and "some" are known as determiners. So, how do we say these in Old English? Old English does not have a separate word for "the" (the definite article) so the demonstrative se in Old English serves a dual purpose. It can be used as the definite article (Modern English "the"), or it can be used as the demonstrative pronoun "that". Usually the sense is clear if you always translate se as "that". In many places where today we would use "the", Old English omits it, so the phrase "feng to riċe" -- a favourite of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle -- translates as "succeded to the kingdom" (came to the throne). There is one place where you need to be careful. In many places in Old Engish you will find phrases like "Æþelwulf ealdormann" or "Ælfred cyning". You could translate these as "Æþelwulf the ealdorman" and "Alfred the king", but it is more likely that the intent of these phrases is more like "Ealdormann (General) Æþelwulf" and "King Alfred". The indefinite article is even rarer than the definite article, and when it does appear is generally more definite than in Modern English. Often the indefinite article is just omitted as in "on beorg" which translates as "onto a mountain", even though the word "a" is not there. Hwā is the interrogative "who?" or "what?". It can also be used as the indefinite "anyone, someone".