# gister - gisteren



## Encolpius

Hello, there are 2 words in my dictionary and I was not able to find any explanation even in big dictionaries. So what would you say:

1/ Ze zijn gister aangekomen. 
2/ Ze zijn gisteren aangekomen. 

Or maybe one is formal, informal or regional differences? 
Thanks a lot.


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## Stijn

If you use just one word, I'd always use "gisteren"

In composite words as gisteravond/gister*en*avond you can use gister. I read that in the Netherlands, one would rather say gisteravond, but myself I'd always say gister*en*avond.


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## Lopes

I mostly use 'gister', and allways 'gisteravond'. 

But, I would say that in writing, 'gisteren' is the form normally used.


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## Frank06

Hi,

I use 'gisteren' throughout, in speaking and writing.
For one or another reason, _gister_ sounds obselete to me (don't ask me why . So, I looked it up in two dictionaries, and they both have something like:
*gister* see gisteren
*gisteren* ........

The first one was Van Dale (2002 e-version), the second one is a dictionary from 1_8_39. Neither of them give any information as whether _gister _is an obselete or a regional form.

Groetjes,

Frank


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## filmfan

Good question. I'm a native educated Dutchman, and I really can't give you a satisfying answer!

One thing is for sure. In combinations you always use gister. So it's gistermorgen, gistermiddag and gisteravond.

But I haven't a clue if there is a significant difference between your example

"1/ Ze zijn gister aangekomen. 
2/ Ze zijn gisteren aangekomen."

If there is, it is most likely a regional difference. Ze zijn _gisteren_ aangekomen to me 'feels' a bit more Southern than _gister._ I am refering only to the Netherlands (internationaly usualy referred to as Holland). I live in Breda which is located in the south of the Netherlands. Last week I drove half an hour south and crossed the border with Belgium to spent some time in Antwerp where the official language is Dutch, but they actually speak a regional dialect which is a form of 'Vlaams' and wether or not you know the difference between gister of gisteren in a conversation over there would be one of the least of your problems. What I am trying to tell you is that while learning a new language you can find yourself struggling about issues no native speaker would be bothered about.

Having said that, the dictionaries I checked consider gister and gisteren as synonyms, so you can use both.
The only exception is the former mentioned combinations (sorry the correct English word for that doesn't come to mind) such as gistermorgen...


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## AllegroModerato

Encolpius said:


> Hello, there are 2 words in my dictionary and I was not able to find any explanation even in big dictionaries. So what would you say:
> 
> 1/ Ze zijn gister aangekomen.
> 2/ Ze zijn gisteren aangekomen.
> 
> Or maybe one is formal, informal or regional differences?


For me, "gisteren" is a tad more formal, but they are both equally valid in every day speech. I wouldn´t worry too much about it.


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## MysterPedanticke

filmfan said:


> The only exception is the former mentioned combinations (sorry the correct English word for that doesn't come to mind) such as gistermorgen...


The English word for your combinations is "compound". See details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound_(linguistics).


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## ThomasK

I am a Southerner (Belgian, Dutch-speaking) and I'd never use _gister_, except in compounds, as filmfan suggested...


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