këtij

Këtij is a grammatical form in Albanian used as the oblique (genitive/dative) form of the demonstrative determiner ky, meaning this. It appears before masculine singular nouns in constructions that express relation, possession, or association with the demonstrative when the noun is in an oblique case. In practical use, këton forms function similarly to “of this” or “to this” in English, depending on the preposition and verb governing the phrase. The form is part of a larger demonstrative system that includes other oblique forms for different genders and numbers.

In modern Albanian, kë tij commonly appears in phrases such as i këtij viti or i këtij personi, where it marks a close but non-nominative reference to a noun. The exact meaning shifts with context: it can indicate possession, association, or a temporal or spatial relationship linked to “this.” The masculine oblique form is distinct from the nominative ky and from feminine or plural forms, which belong to parallel inflectional patterns in the same demonstrative system.

Usage notes and context:

- It is widely used in standard Albanian as well as in formal writing, but speakers may vary in preference across dialects.

- It often follows prepositions, possessive constructions, or verbs that require an oblique case for their arguments.

- The corresponding oblique forms for feminine and plural nouns exist within the same demonstrative paradigm.

See also: ky, kjo, këto, ai, ajo, demonstrative pronouns.