beide (both)

What it is. beide means both - the two of them - and points back to two people or things that are already known from the context. It is one of the indefinite pronouns and can stand alone as a pronoun (Beide sind da - both are here) or in front of a noun (beide Kinder - both children).

It is plural. beide always refers to exactly two, and it is treated as a plural, so the verb is plural: Beide kommen (both are coming), Beide Autos sind teuer (both cars are expensive). Never use a singular verb with beide.

How it declines. beide takes plural endings, like a plural adjective:

• nominative: beide - Beide wohnen hier.
• accusative: beide - Ich kenne beide.
• dative: beiden - Ich helfe beiden. / mit beiden
• genitive: beider - die Meinung beider (rare at A2)

After an article or a possessive. When der/die/das or a possessive (mein, dein …) comes first, beide takes the weak ending -en: die beiden Freunde (the two friends), meine beiden Brüder (both of my brothers). It also follows a personal pronoun: wir beide (the two of us), euch beiden (to you both).

beide vs. beides. Use plural beide for two countable people or things (plural verb): Beide sind gut. Use neuter singular beides to sum up two things as one idea (singular verb): Beides ist möglich (both - the two options together - is possible).

Examples.

• Beide sprechen Deutsch. - Both of them speak German.
• Ich habe beide Bücher gelesen. - I have read both books.
• Sie hat mit beiden gesprochen. - She spoke with both of them.
• Meine beiden Schwestern wohnen in Berlin. - Both of my sisters live in Berlin.

Common mistake. The number one error is treating beide as singular or confusing it with beides: say Beide sind da (plural), not Beide ist da. And after an article remember the -n: die beiden Kinder, not die beide Kinder.

beide means "both" (the two together) and refers back to two already-known people or things; it is plural and takes a plural verb.

beide refers to two people or things you already know. On its own it is a pronoun (Beide sind da / Ich kenne beide) and it is plural, so the verb is plural. Endings: beide in nominative and accusative, beiden in the dative (mit beiden). After der/die or a possessive it takes -en: die beiden, meine beiden Brüder. Do not confuse it with beides (singular, two things as one idea: Beides ist gut).

beide bedeutet "both" und bezieht sich auf zwei schon bekannte Personen oder Dinge; es ist Plural und steht mit einem Verb im Plural.