Relative clauses and case-marked relative pronouns

In brief

A relative clause adds information about a person or thing without starting a new sentence. In German, the relative pronoun matches that person or thing in gender and number, but its case depends on its role inside the relative clause. Put the conjugated verb at the end of the clause.

Form

Noun + comma + relative pronoun (der/die/das; den/dem; dessen/deren) + … + conjugated verb. Choose the pronoun’s case by asking what it does in the relative clause; put any preposition directly before it.

Usage

• Use nominative when the pronoun is the subject of the relative clause.
• Use accusative for a direct object, and dative after a dative preposition or when the verb requires dative.
• Use dessen or deren to express whose; they refer back to a masculine/neuter or feminine/plural noun respectively.

Examples

• Das ist die Nachbarin, die immer freundlich grüßt. — That’s the neighbor who always greets people warmly.
• Wo ist der Schlüssel, den ich dir gegeben habe? — Where is the key that I gave you?
• Das ist der Kollege, mit dem ich zusammenarbeite. — That’s the colleague I work with.
• Die Frau, deren Hund oft bellt, wohnt nebenan. — The woman whose dog often barks lives next door.

Common mistake

❌ Das ist der Mann, der ich gestern gesehen habe.

✅ Das ist der Mann, den ich gestern gesehen habe.

The man is the object of gesehen habe in the relative clause, so use accusative den, even though der Mann is nominative in the main clause.

Remember

The noun determines gender and number; the pronoun’s job inside the relative clause determines its case.