What is a Relative Clause?
A relative clause (Relativsatz) adds information about a noun. In English we use who, which, that: The boy who plays football…
In German, relative pronouns look like definite articles but they must match the gender of the noun and the case needed in the relative clause.
Relative Pronouns Table
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | der | die | das | die |
| Acc. | den | die | das | die |
| Dat. | dem | der | dem | denen |
| Gen. | dessen | deren | dessen | deren |
The relative clause is always separated from the main clause by a comma, and the verb goes to the end of the relative clause.
Choosing the Right Pronoun
Step 1: Find the gender of the noun being described. Step 2: Find the case of the relative pronoun within the relative clause.
Examples
| Sentence | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Das ist der Mann, der Deutsch spricht. | der Mann = masculine; pronoun is subject in relative clause (Nominative) → der |
| Das ist der Mann, den ich kenne. | der Mann = masculine; pronoun is object (Accusative) → den |
| Das ist die Frau, der ich helfe. | die Frau = feminine; "helfen" takes Dative → der |
| Das ist das Kind, das spielt. | das Kind = neuter; subject (Nominative) → das |
Word Order in Relative Clauses
The relative pronoun comes immediately after the noun (or after a comma), and the conjugated verb goes to the end:
Das Buch, das ich lese, ist interessant. (The book that I am reading is interesting.)
Describing people and things
- Die Schülerin, die sehr gut singt, heißt Anna. (The student who sings very well is called Anna.)
- Ich habe den Stift, den du gesucht hast, gefunden. (I found the pen that you were looking for.)
Relative Clauses with Prepositions
When the relative clause needs a preposition, it comes before the pronoun:
Das ist das Zimmer, in dem ich schlafe. (That is the room in which I sleep / where I sleep.)
Real world: describing people on profiles and CVs
A German CV or LinkedIn profile uses relative clauses to describe experience: „Ich bin ein Entwickler, der mit Python arbeitet." (I am a developer who works with Python.) „Das ist das Projekt, das ich letztes Jahr abgeschlossen habe." (That is the project I completed last year.) — relative clauses in formal professional writing.
Real world: shopping and product descriptions
German online shopping descriptions use relative clauses constantly: „Das Handy, das du suchst, ist auf Lager." (The phone you are looking for is in stock.) „Ein Stoff, der maschinenwaschbar ist." (A fabric that is machine-washable.) „Die Jacke, die ich gekauft habe, ist warm." — practical e-commerce language.
Real world: giving information about places
Tourist information and travel writing use relative clauses to give details: „Das Restaurant, in dem wir gegessen haben, war ausgezeichnet." (The restaurant in which we ate was excellent.) „Die Stadt, die wir besucht haben, liegt am Rhein." (The city we visited is on the Rhine.) — the preposition + relative pronoun combination is essential for polished German.
The key to choosing the right relative pronoun is asking two questions: 1) What is the gender of the noun being described? and 2) What case does the relative pronoun need inside the clause? The answers tell you which form from the table to use. With practice, this becomes automatic.
Practice Problems
Fill in the relative pronoun: 'Das ist der Hund, ___ sehr laut bellt.' (der Hund = masculine, subject)
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Why does the verb go to the end in a relative clause?
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Combine: 'Ich habe eine Schwester. Sie wohnt in Berlin.' Use a relative clause.