Explanation
Introduction to Relative Clauses
Relative clauses (Relativsätze) are dependent clauses that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main sentence. In German, these clauses are always separated by a comma. The most important rule to remember is that the conjugated verb moves to the very end of the relative clause. These clauses allow you to combine ideas, making your speech sound more fluent and advanced at the B1 level.
Choosing the Correct Relative Pronoun
The relative pronoun must match the noun it refers to in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular or plural). However, its case (Nominative, Accusative, Dative, or Genitive) is determined by its grammatical function within the relative clause itself. Most relative pronouns look identical to definite articles (der, die, das), with the exception of the Dative plural ('denen') and the Genitive forms ('dessen', 'deren').
Relative Clauses with Prepositions
If the verb in the relative clause requires a preposition, that preposition must come before the relative pronoun. For example, in the phrase 'The project I am working on,' German structure requires 'The project, on which I work...'. In this case, the preposition determines the case of the relative pronoun that follows it. This is a common structure for expressing complex ideas clearly.
Word Order and Sentence Structure
Since relative clauses are subordinate clauses (Nebensätze), the word order follows the 'verb-last' rule. If you have a separable verb like 'ablehnen' or 'ausbilden,' the prefix and the base verb stay together at the end of the clause. If there is a modal verb, the infinitive comes second-to-last and the conjugated modal verb goes last.
Reference Tables
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | die | das | die |
| Accusative | den | die | das | die |
| Dative | dem | der | dem | denen |
| Genitive | dessen | deren | dessen | deren |
Examples
Das ist der Kollege, der das Angebot tatsächlich ablehnen wollte.
That is the colleague who actually wanted to reject the offer.
Die Kenntnisse, die wir in diesem Kurs erweitern, sind sehr nützlich.
The knowledge that we expand in this course is very useful.
Das Gebäude, das sie demnächst abreißen wollen, ist baufällig.
The building that they want to demolish soon is dilapidated.
Die Kinder, denen er das Schwimmen beibringen möchte, sind im Pool.
The children whom he wants to teach how to swim are in the pool.
Es gibt eine Meinung, die er vor anderen nicht äußern konnte.
There is an opinion that he could not express in front of others.
Common Mistakes
In a relative clause, the conjugated verb (hat) must move to the very end of the sentence.
Relative clauses in German must always be set off by commas on both sides if they are in the middle of a sentence.
The verb 'helfen' requires the dative case, so the relative pronoun must be 'denen' (plural dative) instead of 'die' (nominative/accusative).