Relative Clauses in German — Everything You Should Know from A1 to C2

To give you an idea of what relative clauses are in German, we’ve decided to describe this topic in detail.

Below, we will present you with clear and precise explanations from level A1 to level C2. We are sure that you’ll find them helpful.

Let’s start, shall we?

What are relative clauses?

Relative clauses closer define things or people and provide additional information about a noun.

A relative clause is always a dependent clause. More specifically, this means that the verb in the German sentence comes at the end, just like in, for example, weil or dass clauses.

These sentences are introduced with a relative pronoun (Relativpronomen), which serves as a conjunction and comes after the main clause.

Two sentences can be connected with a relative clause, and sometimes it may be inserted into the main clause.

          Meine Nachbarin ist ziemlich alt. Ihr gehören zwei Katzen.

          Meine Nachbarin (, der zwei Katzen gehören,) ist ziemlich alt.

Relative Clauses in German — Level A

At the beginner levels, students who attend German courses should learn what relative clauses are.

          This is Ana, who works at Bosch.

          Das ist Ana, die bei Bosh arbeitet.

For a start, we only introduce the nominative and accusative cases.

The relative pronoun der, die, das in nominative and accusative

 maskulinneutrumfemininPlural
Nominativderdasdiedie
Akkusativden

To get a picture of how relative clauses work in German, it is important to have a grasp of the basic concepts at this stage.

Concept #1

The first thing to keep in mind is that the relative pronoun matches the noun it refers to. What that means is, if the pronoun refers to Ana, she is feminine (die) and singular (Sg.)

Concept #2

The second thing you must understand right from the beginning is that the case of the relative pronoun depends on the verb in the relative clause.

Let’s take Ana as an example.

          Das ist Ana, die bei Bosch arbeitet. (Sie arbeitet bei Bosch. Sie = Nominative)

          Das ist Ana, die ich in der Schule getroffen habe. (Ich habe sie in der Schule                             getroffen. Sie = Accusative).

Let’s go over it one more time.

  • Sie in the first sentence is actually the subject (She works).
  • Sie in the second sentence is the object (I met her), and the subject is I (ich).

At the A2 level, we learn verbs with prepositions. Thus, we are introduced to verbs such as:

          sich ärgern über

          sich interessieren für

          sich kümmern um

          etc.

Therefore, relative clauses must also have a preposition. In that case, the preposition comes before the main clause, and it determines the case.

          Ich mache dir den Tee, auf den du lange gewartet hast. (warten + auf)

Relative Clauses in German — Level B

In the later stages of learning, when the basic concepts have been internalized actively and passively, we can move on to the next phase.

At the B1 level, we introduce relative pronouns in dative and genitive cases.

The relative pronoun der, die, das in dative and genitive

Dativdemdemderdenen
Genitivdessendessenderenderen

The relative pronoun in the genitive case (translated as whose) refers to an attribute or a possessive pronoun. Note that the noun which comes after it does not have a determiner.

For example:

          Das ist der Tee, dessen Geschmack ich mag. (der Geschmack des Tees, sein                        Geschmack mag ich)

As we exit level B1 and enter level B1, knowledge of relative clauses in German becomes significantly deeper.

We introduce interrogative words that function as relative pronouns.

Wo

So, the relative pronoun wo replaces the location phrase. (Instead of in + dative.)

          Ich wohne in einer Stadt, wo meine Familie auch lebt. (in der meine Familie auch                              lebt)

Wohin/woher

The relative pronoun wohin also replaces the location phrase. (Instead of in + accusative.)

          Es ist eine schöne Stadt, wohin viele Touristen gern reisen (in die viele Touristen                gern reisen).

Wohin/woher is also used after names of cities, places and squares, also in the function of a relative clause.

Wo(r)-

Furthermore, note that combinations of wo(r) + preposition may also be a relative clause. It always refers to the previous clause and takes on the function of a relative clause.

Here, we add the R when the preposition begins with a vowel.

Wo + auf = worauf

          Ich habe mit ihm einen Tee getrunken, worüber sie sich sehr gefreut hat.

Was

Here, note that was sometimes also occurs as a relative pronoun. It comes after the words nichts, etwas, alles, vieles, einiges, weniges, das.

          Das ist etwas, was mir gefällt.

Was can also appear as a noun after a superlative.

          Das ist das Beste, was mir passiert ist.

Let’s repeat once again that the relative pronoun was refers to the meaning of the entire previous clause, and not just to the noun.

          Ich habe mit ihm einen Tee getrunken, was ihn sehr gefreut hat.

Wer, wen, wem

Another thing to keep in mind is wer, wen, wem

In the function of relative clauses, they refer to people who are not specifically defined, and they come at the beginning of the sentence.

          Wer möchte, (der) kann einen Tee bekommen.

Relative Clauses, Level C

In more advanced levels we feel comfortable using this type of sentences. They have long become automated and we no longer spend time thinking about whether something is or isn’t a relative clause.

In addition to practicing and actively using them, we also pay attention to details and writing style.

Welche (-r, -s)

So the relative pronoun welche (-r, -s) can be used as an alternative to the relative pronoun der, die, das.

This occurs exclusively in writing, usually to avoid repetition.

          Das ist die Dame, welche die Sprachkurse koordiniert. (umesto die…die..)

Conclusion

We can say that it is almost unfathomable to speak German without relative clauses. They are a part of daily speech and they allow us to express ourselves with more precision and detail.

We hope that relative clauses are clearer to you now.

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