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The relative pronoun gender is defined by the gender of the noun that it complements.
An example:
As you see in the previous example, "Frau" is a feminine noun so the relative pronoun that
follows it has to be feminine as well (die).
Relative clauses can be nominative, accusative, dative or genitive. Let’s look at them all in detail
because this is very important:
Nominative
The relative pronoun acts as a subject and the conjugated verb is placed at the end of the relative
clause. Remember: the verb has to be conjugated in association with the relative pronoun (make
sure if it is singular or plural).
Accusative
When the relative pronoun is accusative, the pronoun is placed in the first position and therefore
the subject is moved to the second position and, as always, the conjugated verb goes to the end of
the relative clause:
The dative and accusative work the same with the exception of the relative pronoun. This time,
however, we’ve provided you with an example that is a bit more difficult. Notice that the relative
pronoun might be accompanied by a preposition as well:
Der Kunde, mit dem ich gerade gesprochen habe, ist Deutscher
The client that I just spoke to is German (most likely a male customer but not definitively)
Die Kundin, mit der ich gerade gesprochen habe, ist Deutsche
The (female) client that I just spoke to is German
Genitive
The relative pronouns "deren" and "dessen" are translated as "whose", its or their:
Okay now we need to figure out which pronoun to use. As always we need to take three things into
consideration: 1. Gender, 2. Number, 3. Case
1. Find the antecedent (the word that you want to replace with the relative pronoun)
2. Determine the gender of the antecedent
3. Determine the number of the antecedent
4. Which function will the relative pronoun have in the relative clause?
o Subject (Nominative)
o Direct Object (Accusative)
o Indirect Object (Dative)
o Possessive (Genitive), in English: whose
o Object of a Preposition (Accusative or Dative)
Examples:
Das ist der Mann. Der Mann hat ein Buch geschieben.
(S: NOM)
Das ist der Mann, der ein Buch geschieben hat. ? relative pronoun = subject of the subordinate clause
Das ist der Freund. Ich habe der Freundin das Buch gekauft.
(IO: DAT)
Das ist die Freundin, der ich das Buch gekauft habe. ? relative pronoun = indirect object of the
subordinate clause
Ist das der Wagen, den du kaufen willst? ? relative pronoun = direct object of the subordinate clause
Relative pronouns can also be placed after a preposition. When they are placed here, they are the object
of the preposition. The preposition will therefore determine the case.
Das ist das Buch, von dem ich dir erzählt habe.
Wechselpräpositionen: an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen
provides additional information about something mentioned in the main clause without having to repeat
the noun that it refers to;
is introduced by a relative pronoun (Relativpronomen)
Er ist der Mann, der das Buch geschrieben hat.
links two clauses (a main clause and a relative clause) into a single complex clause
[Er ist der Mann (main clause)] [der das Buch geschrieben hat (relativ clause)].
den, dem, die, der, die, der, der, den, die, dem, der, dem, der, deren,
denen, der, die, denen, dessen, der