Beide

Beide is a word in German and Dutch that means “both.” It functions as a determiner before a plural noun or as a pronoun referring to two people or things that have been mentioned or are understood in the context.

In German, beide accompanies a noun when used as a determiner, as in beide Bücher (both books) or beide Männer (both men). It can also stand alone as a pronoun: Ich kenne beide. When used as a pronoun, it refers to the two individuals or items previously discussed. In general, both items are implied, and die beiden is a more explicit formulation for “the two of them.” Beide is limited to exactly two items; for more than two, Wörter wie mehrere or alle are used instead. The form is invariable with respect to gender and case, though the surrounding sentence may reflect case endings on the noun phrase.

In Dutch, beide similarly means “both.” It serves as a determiner before a plural noun, as in beide boeken (both books), and can also be used as a pronoun in sentences like Beide kwamen opdagen (Both of them showed up). Dutch use keeps beide before the noun, with typical adjective determination rules applying to the noun following it. Like German, het en de are used in normal sentence structure, and beide does not carry gender.

Etymology traces back to common Germanic roots; beide has cognates in other Germanic languages and parallels the English word “both.” In modern usage, beide is common in everyday speech and in formal writing in both languages.