Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns link clauses and give extra information about a noun without repeating it. They help make sentences more concise and clear.
Relative Pronouns
The basic relative pronouns in German come from the definite articles and agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they refer to. Use wer, was, and wo in special situations.
| German Relative Pronoun | English Relative Pronoun | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| der / die / das | who / which / that | Agrees in gender and number |
| die (plural) | who / which / that | Plural form |
| welcher / welche / welches | which / who / that | More formal, agrees in gender and number |
| wer | whoever / one who | For people when antecedent is absent |
| was | what / that which | For things, or when referring to a neuter idea |
| wo | where / in which | For places, sometimes time or abstract |
Using Cases
Relative pronouns take the case required by their function in the relative clause, not by the antecedent. Identify whether they are subject, direct object, indirect object, or governed by a preposition to choose the correct form.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏫 Das Buch, das ich in der Bibliothek gefunden habe, ist sehr interessant. | The book that I found in the library is very interesting. |
| 🍰 Der Kuchen, den sie gestern mitgebracht hat, schmeckt fantastisch. | The cake that she brought yesterday tastes fantastic. |
| 🧑 Die Frau, die neben mir sitzt, liest auch das gleiche Buch. | The woman who is sitting next to me is also reading the same book. |
| 🗝️ Ich habe den Schlüssel gefunden, mit dem du die Tür öffnen kannst. | I found the key with which you can open the door. |
| 🧳 Das Gepäck, das auf dem Wagen liegt, gehört dem Mann dort drüben. | The luggage that is on the cart belongs to the man over there. |
Wer, Was, and Wo
Use wer when the relative pronoun refers to an unspecified person or group (e.g. Derjenige, der...), was for things or abstract references without a clear antecedent, and wo for places or sometimes for time and contexts where a place is implied.
Summary
Relative pronouns streamline sentences by linking additional information to a noun. Remember they agree in gender and number with the antecedent but take their case from their role in the relative clause, and use special pronouns like wer, was, and wo for general or unspecified references.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025