German Grammar * Review & Exercises

RELATIVE PRONOUNS AND RELATIVE CLAUSES

A main (independent) clause is a clause that makes complete sense on its own:
= Das ist der neue Tisch.
A dependent (subordinate) clause is a clause that needs another clause it depends on to be fully meaningful:
= den ich gestern gekauft habe.
This phrase does not make complete sense on its own, it needs another part to do so:
==> Hier ist der neue Tisch, den ich gestern gekauft habe.
The dependent clause in the above example is a relative clause; it begins with a relative pronoun (den). The relative clause is related to a specific part it describes (der neue Tisch).

German has two types of relative pronouns: definite and indefinite. For our purposes here, you have to be able to identify either kind. To a limited extent, you have to be able to work with definite relative pronouns. Indefinite relative pronouns are largely for recognition.

Basic Rules (for either type)

• In German, relative pronouns must be used (in English, they are often omitted).
• In German, commas are required before (and, if applicable, after) relative clauses:
  = Die Frau, die dort steht, kommt aus Hamburg.
• Word order: relative clauses are dependent clauses, relative pronouns function like subordinating conjunctions, thus the finite (conjugated) verb is last!
  = Kennst du eine Stadt, die in Bayern liegt?

A. Definite Relative Pronouns

Definite relative pronouns are used when the part they are relative to is defined ("der neue Tisch"). This will be the case in most situations you will encounter.

The following is a chart of the definite relative pronouns. Note that except for several--important!--exceptions (yellow fields) they are the same as the 'regular' definite article (compare this chart, first line for each case).

CASE/PERSON	M	F	N	PL
Nominative	der	die	das	die
Accusative	den	die	das	die
Dative	dem	der	dem	denen
Genitive	dessen	deren	dessen	deren

• A definite relative pronoun must agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun to which it refers [the antecedent, as that part is called]. However, the case is determined by its function within the relative clause (an exception--sort of--is the genitive case).
  1. Diese Frau, die dort steht, ist meine Mutter.
     (die is the subject in the relative clause).
     [==> Diese Frau ist meine Mutter. Sie steht dort.]
  2. Das ist der junge Mann, den ich gestern gesehen habe.
     (den is the direct object in the relative clause).
     [==> Das ist der junge Mann. Ich habe ihn gestern gesehen.]
• Genitive: VORSICHT!
  = Das Mädchen, dessen Bruder ich kenne, ist sehr nett.
  (Ich kenne den Bruder des Mädchens).
  The relationship between "Mädchen" and "Bruder" is possession, hence the appropriate genitive form of the relative pronoun is required.
  This is even more complicated (and not necessarily obvious) with certain phrases involving prepositions:
  = Das Mädchen, an dessen Bruder ich denke, ist nett.
  "denken an (+ A)" would normally be followed by the accusative case, but here the preposition an has no effect on the element following it.
• The relative clause is inserted right after that part of the (main) clause to which it is relative. The only exception to this is if only a verb (form or part) would follow at then end; in this case, this form or part is moved forward and inserted before the relative clause.
• When the relative pronoun follows a preposition, the comma preceeds the preposition:
  = Die Universität, an der ich studiere, ist alt. (Ich studiere an der Universität).
• Prepositions and relative pronouns are not contracted:
  = Das Haus, in dem wohne, ist alt. (not im)
  = Das Konzert, zu dem wir gehen, hat schon angefangen. (not zum)

Simplified procedure for exercises (works in most--but not all!--cases.)

1. If there is a preposition, it rules:
   = Mein Bruder, mit dem ich gestern gesprochen habe, heißt Martin. (mit requires dative)
2. If there is a plain noun after the relative pronoun, chances are there is a possessive relationship and genitive is required:
   = Mein Bruder, dessen Frau Petra heißt, ist jünger als ich.
3. In other situations,
   a) disregard all prepositional objects (elements preceded by a preposition),
   b) and work by elimination in the following sequence: subject/nominative - direct object/accusative - indirect object/dative.
   = Mein Bruder, ___ in Raubling wohnt, hat eine nette Familie. (The relative clause does not have a subject, thus the relative pronoun must be it=nominative: "der" ["in Raubling" is a prepositional phrase and will be disregarded].)
   = Mein Bruder, ___ ich seit zwei Jahren nicht mehr gesehen habe, besucht mich nächste Woche. (The relative clause does have a subject--"ich"--but it does not have a direct object, thus the relative pronoun is accusative case, "den" ["seit zwei Jahren" is a prepositional phrase and will be disregarded].)
   = Mein Bruder, ___ ich einen Brief geschrieben habe, hat mich angerufen. (The relative clause does have a subject--"ich"--as well as a direct object--"einen Brief", but it does not have an indirect object, thus the relative pronoun is dative case: "dem").

Examples: The prose text "Fritz" by Hans Joachim Schädlich features relative clauses.

B. Indefinite Relative Pronouns

Indefinite relative pronouns are used when the antecedent (the 'relative' part) is unknown, undefined, or not specific. They are often found in proverbs. You will not encounter this much in German (but you will in English, where they usually are used like definite relative pronouns!).

wer (whoever) is used for persons,
was (whatever) is used for
= a) objects;
= b) after plurals such as viel(es) [much], alles [all], manches [some], einiges [few, a good number], wenig [a little], nichts [nothing];
= c) after the superlative (replacing das).

Beispiele

• Wer nicht für mich ist, ist gegen mich. (Whoever is not for me is against me.)
• Was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß. (What[ever] I don't know does not concern me/has no effect on me.)
• Es gibt nicht vieles, was sie nicht weiß. (There is not much that she does not know.)
• Das war das Beste, was du tun konntest. (That was the best [that] you could do.)

The question word wo can be used as a relative pronoun for places (and often replaces in dem or in der):
= Das Hotel, wo wir wohnten, war ausgezeichnet. (The hotel where ["in which"] we stayed was excellent).

ÜBUNGEN

Additional Exercises (Designed to open in separate window).

© 1998ff. Horst Kurz. All rights reserved.