German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses
When learning German, the relative clause (Relativsatz) is one of the familiar and frequently used topics. However, it is a grammar point that easily confuses learners of German. Today's article will help you learn about relative clauses.
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- A relative clause (Relativsatz) is a subordinate clause (Nebensatz) used to modify and give additional information about the noun or noun phrase, or even the whole sentence, that comes before it.
Das ist die Frau, die ich gestern getroffen habe.
(This is the woman whom I met yesterday.)
→ die is called a relative pronoun (Relativpronomen). Die replaces die Frau in the relative clause die ich gestern getroffen habe. Die serves as the object, feminine, in the Akkusativ.
→ The Relativpronomen is a relative pronoun that replaces the noun or noun phrase that comes before it.
Below is the table of relative pronouns to memorize:
|
Nominativ |
Akkusativ |
Dativ |
|
der |
den |
dem |
|
die |
die |
der |
|
das |
das |
dem |
|
die |
die |
denen |
***Note:
- When the pronoun is accompanied by a preposition, the preposition stands at the beginning of the relative clause.
Ben hat viele Freunde, mit denen er eine unvergessliche Kindheit hat.
(Ben has many friends, with whom he had an unforgettable childhood.)
→ Freunde is the noun that needs additional information. Freunde is plural, and the relative pronoun after mit must be in the Dativ (3rd case), so the relative pronoun denen must be used.
- The relative clause stands directly after the noun or noun phrase it modifies. However, when the main clause is in the present perfect, the relative clause can also come after the whole clause. For example:
Ich habe gestern eine schöne Frau getroffen, die ein rotes Auto gefahren ist.
(Yesterday, I met a beautiful woman who drove a red car.)
→ eine schöne Frau is the noun phrase that needs additional information. Frau is singular, and the relative pronoun serves as the subject in the relative clause, so the relative pronoun die must be used.
- How to transform a relative clause:
Die Frau, die aus Hannover kommt, heißt Gertrude Nimmersatt.
= Die Frau heißt Gertrude Nimmersatt. Sie kommt aus Hannover.
(The woman is called Gertrude Nimmersatt, who comes from Hannover.)
