German relative clauses: der, die, das as connectors
How to join two ideas with which, who and that in German. Relative pronouns match the noun, the case comes from the clause, and the verb goes to the end.
Relative clauses let you add detail without starting a new sentence: the man who lives next door, the book that I bought. In German they are built with relative pronouns that look just like the articles der, die, das — with a couple of twists.
Two rules decide the pronoun
Gender and number come from the noun you are describing; the case comes from the role inside the relative clause. Der Mann, der dort wohnt (subject → der). Der Mann, den ich kenne (object → den). Same man, different pronoun, because the job inside the clause changed.
The verb goes to the end
A relative clause is a subordinate clause, so its conjugated verb moves to the very end, and the whole clause is set off by commas: Das ist das Haus, das wir gekauft haben. Train your ear to wait for that final verb.
Forms to know
- Mostly identical to the articles: der, die, das, die (plural).
- Dative plural is denen (not den): die Leute, denen ich helfe.
- Genitive forms are dessen (masc./neut.) and deren (fem./plural): der Mann, dessen Auto …
If a preposition belongs to the verb in the relative clause, it comes before the pronoun: die Frau, mit der ich spreche (the woman I am talking to). German does not strand prepositions at the end the way English does.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose the relative pronoun in German?
Take gender and number from the noun being described, and the case from the pronoun's role inside the relative clause (subject = nominative, object = accusative, and so on).
Where does the verb go in a German relative clause?
At the very end. Relative clauses are subordinate clauses, so the conjugated verb moves to the final position and the clause is separated by commas.