Relative Pronoun(Relativpronomen)
A relative pronoun is word which introduces a relative clause.The relative pronoun refers back to a noun in the clause.The gender and numerus of the relative pronoun is the same as the gender and numerus of the "Bezugswort". We call this noun in the main clause: Bezugswort (=antecedent). The case of the relative pronoun, however, is determined by the "function" of the pronoun in the relative clause -
not by the "function" of the "Bezugswort"!
eg. Die Frau hat ein großes Auto, das aus Europa kommt. (The woman has a big car which comes from Europe.)
In German it's not possible to leave out the relative pronoun like in English In German the relative clause is always separated by a comma from the main clause.
If there is a preposition which belongs to a verb then the preposition goes at the beginning of the relative clause
The relative pronouns in German are
- der : refers back to male nouns
- die : refers back to female nouns
- das : refers back to neuter nouns
- welcher : refers back to male, female or neuter nouns
welcher is mostly used in written German.
Declension of the relative pronouns: der/die/das
Case |
Singural |
Plural |
Male |
Female |
Neuter |
-
|
| Nominativ |
der |
die |
das |
die |
| Genitive |
dessen |
deren |
dessen |
deren |
| Dative |
dem |
der |
dem |
denen |
| Akkusativ |
den |
die |
das |
die |
Declension of the relative pronouns:welcher
Case |
Singural |
Plural |
Male |
Female |
Neuter |
-
|
| Nominativ |
welcher |
welche |
welches |
welche |
| Genitive |
welches |
welcher |
welches |
welcher |
| Dative |
welchem |
welcher |
welchem |
welchen |
| Akkusativ |
welchen |
welche |
welches |
welche |
|
