In German, the relative clause (Relativsatz) is a part of grammar that easily confuses learners. A relative clause can be introduced with a relative pronoun (Relativpronomen), with a preposition, or with wo, was, wer… Today's article will help you understand relative clauses with wo, was and wer better.

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1. Relativ mit Wo

• It is a subordinate clause (Nebensatz) that modifies and gives further explanation about a noun/noun phrase denoting a place.

• The relative clause with Wo comes right after the noun or noun phrase denoting a place that it supplements and gives more information about.

• The noun and the relative clause are separated by a comma.

Die Stadt, wo ich wohne, ist sehr schön.

(The city where I live is very beautiful.)

→ wo replaces die Stadt

→ the clause wo ich wohne adds information to the noun die Stadt

1. Relativ mit Was

• It is a subordinate clause (Nebensatz) that gives further information about a noun denoting an indefinite thing (Indefinitpronomen) such as: nichts, alles, vieles, das, etwas, einiges, weniges… or replaces the whole preceding sentence.

• The relative clause with Was comes right after the noun it gives information about. When it replaces a whole sentence, it comes right after that sentence and is separated from it by a comma.

Alles, was ich für die Prüfung gelernt habe, habe ich schon wieder vergessen.

(Everything that I learned for the exam, I have already forgotten again.)

→ was replaces alles

→ the clause was ich für die Prüfung gelernt habe adds information to etwas

Er schenkte ihr wunderschöne Rosen, was sie sehr überraschte.

(He gave her beautiful roses, which surprised her very much.)

→ was replaces the entire clause before it

→ the clause was sie sehr überraschte adds information to the whole preceding clause

1. Relativ mit Wer

• It is a subordinate clause (Nebensatz) that gives further information about a noun denoting an unspecified person (unbestimmte Person) such as: jemand, eine Person, ein Mensch,...

• The relative clause with wer also comes right after the noun it gives information about and is separated from it by a comma

***Note: You must pay attention to the role of wer in the sentence (Nominativ, Akkusativ or Dativ)

Es gibt jemanden, wer meinen Kuchen gegessen hat.

(There is someone who ate my cake.)

→ wer replaces jemand

→ in the clause, wer is the subject (Nominativ)

Der Mann findet eine Person, wen er lieben kann.

(The man is looking for a person whom he can love.)

→ wen replaces eine Person

→ in the clause, wer is the object (Akkusativ) → wen

Anna mag ein Mensch, mit wem sie oft spricht.

(Anna likes a person with whom she often talks.)

→ wem replaces ein Mensch

→ in the clause, wer goes with the preposition mit (Dativ) → wem