German relative pronouns
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Jana K.
32.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Dietmar L.
26.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Robert Martin S.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
Lesson outline
Hide- 1.What is a relative pronoun in German?
- 1.1.Examples
- 2.Function of relative pronouns in German
- 3.Declension of relative pronouns in German
- 3.1.'Der', 'die', 'das'
- 3.2.'Welcher', 'welche', 'welches'
- 3.3.The case of relative pronouns in German
- 4.Relative pronouns with prepositions
- 5.'Was' and 'wo' as relative pronouns
- 5.1.Function of 'was'
- 5.2.Function of 'wo'
- 5.3.'Wohin, woher"
- 5.4.'Wo-' + preposition
- 6.Exercises
- 6.1.Exercise of German relative pronouns
- 6.2.Exercise: Find the fitting relative pronoun!
What is a relative pronoun in German?
A German relative pronoun introduces a relative clause. This clause describes a nouns, pronoun or even a whole sentence more precisely. Therefore the relative pronouns replaces the related element in the relative clause. Gender and number of the pronoun are dependent to the element it is replacing.
The most common relative pronouns are 'der/die/das' and 'welcher/welche/welches'.
In English the mentioned pronouns can be translated with 'who', 'that' or 'which'.
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Manuela Z.
45.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Astrid M. 
40.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Barbara S.
35.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Dietmar L.
26.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Karolin G.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Jens-Gerrit E.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Diana M.
40.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ester S.
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ilaria B.
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Alexandra M. 
18.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Examples
- Maria ist ein Mädchen, das Fußball mag. - Maria is a girl who likes football.
- Borussia Dortmund ist ein Verein, welcher ihr gefällt. - Borussia Dortmund is a club that she likes.
- Marco Reus ist der Spieler, den sie am liebsten hat. - Marco Reus is the player which she likes most
Function of relative pronouns in German
Relative pronouns are used to form relative clauses which consists of a main and a subordinate clause. The relative pronoun initiates the subordinate clause.
The subordinate clause gives a closer description of the a noun standing in the main sentence.
In German the subordinate clause has a different structure than the main sentence: the verb stands in the end of the subordinate clause, the pronoun instead occupies the first place and a position very close to the related element.
The subordinate clause can also stand in a middle position:
- Die Katze, die sie schon ewig hatte, ist gestorben. - The cat, which she had since a long time, died.
- Zähne, welche kariös sind, müssen behandelt werden. - Teeth, that are carious, have to be treated.
Declension of relative pronouns in German
The following tables show the declension of the most common relative pronouns in German. Most forms equal the forms of definite articles.
'Der', 'die', 'das'
'der/die/das' are not only used as definite articles. They are also the most common relative pronouns.
| 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:
- Hier ist der Patient, der gestern kam. - Here is the patient who came yesterday.
- Magst du den Wagen, den ich fahre? - Do you like the car that I drive?
- Das ist der Straßenhund, dem ich Futter gebe. - That is the street dog to which I give food.
- Robin ist der Junge, dessen Kaninchen gestorben ist. - Robin is the boy, whose bunny died.
'Welcher', 'welche', 'welches'
Instead of 'der/die/das' we can use 'welcher/welche/welches'.
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | welcher | welche | welches | welche |
| Accusative | welchen | welche | welches | welche |
| Dative | welchem | welcher | welchem | welchen |
| Genitive | dessen | deren | dessen | deren |
Examples:
- Ich habe dir von dem Mann erzählt, welcher nebenan lebte. - I told you about the men who lives next door.
- Er mag den Tisch, welchen sie gekauft hast. - He like the table (that) she bought.
- Du hast einen Sohn, welchem du oft Geschenke machst. - You have a son to whom you often give presents.
The case of relative pronouns in German
Unlike number and gender, the case of the pronoun and the related element can be different:
The case of the relative pronoun depends on the verb (or the preposition) given in the relative clause.
(Check out German cases to get more information!)
| Same case | Different case |
|---|---|
(both accusative) |
(related noun in nominative and pronoun in accusative) |
(both nominative) |
(related noun in nominative and pronoun in accusative) |
Relative pronouns with prepositions
Relative pronouns in German can be accompanied by prepositions.
The pronouns case depends on the preposition now!
The preposition stands before the relative pronoun in the relative clause.
- Johannes ist der Freund, mit dem ich in den Urlaub fahre. - Johannes is the friend (that) I am going to travel with.
- Das ist das Haus, in dem ich wohne. - That is the House (that) I live in.
- Felix fährt das gleiche Auto, für das ich spare. - Felix drives the same car (that) I am saving money for.
- Bus Nummer 23 ist der Bus, auf den ich warte. - Bus number 23 is the bus (that) I'm waiting for.
'Was' and 'wo' as relative pronouns
For some expressions in German we use 'was' and 'wo' as relative pronouns. These pronouns are not declined.
Function of 'was'
The relative pronoun 'was' can be used instead of 'das' to replace a noun. It can also replace another pronoun or even the whole main sentence.
| Examples | |
|---|---|
| Replacing a noun | Jenes ist das Haus, was abgerissen wird. - That is the house that is being demolished. |
| Replacing a pronoun | Vieles, was du sagst ist falsch. - A lot of what you are saying is wrong. |
| Replacing a sentence | Maria schreibt gute Noten, was ihrer Mutter sehr gefällt. - Maria gets good grades. Her Mother likes that. |
Function of 'wo'
The relative pronoun 'wo' refers to a spacial or temporal element mentioned in the main sentence.
Instead of 'wo' we can use the forms of 'der/die/das' or 'welcher/welche/welches' + preposition
| Examples | Alternative | |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a spatial element | Das ist der Ort, wo wir uns das erste mal getroffen haben. - That's the place, where we met for the first time. | Das ist der Ort, an welchem wir uns das erste mal getroffen haben. - That's the place, where we met for the first time. |
| Replacing a temporal element | Sie kommen nächste Woche, wo ich wenig Zeit habe. -They're coming next week, when I don'thave much time. | Sie kommen nächste Woche, in der ich wenig Zeit habe. -They're coming next week, when I don'thave much time. |
'Wohin, woher"
If a replaced spatial element indicates some kind of direction we use 'wohin' or 'woher'.
| Relative Pronoun | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wohin | where(to) | Carlos lebt in Kolumbien, wohin ich unbedingt mal Reisen möchte. - Carlos lives in Colombia, where I really want to travel someday. |
| woher | from where | Das ist die Seite, woher ich die Informationen habe. - That's the page, (where) I have the information from. |
'Wo-' + preposition
The word 'wo' can also be united with some prepositions.
| Relative Pronoun | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| womit | by/with which | Ich habe ein Radio, womit ich Musik höre. - I have a radio with which I listen to the music. |
| wofür | for which | Er hat mir sehr geholfen, wofür ich mich bedanken möchten. - He helped me a lot, for which I am thankful. |
| worüber | about (what / which) | Das ist das Unglück, worüber die Nachrichten berichten. - Thats the tragedy the newas reports about. |
| wovon | about (what) /from (which) | Das ist das, wovon ich dir erzählt habe. - That's what I told you about. |
Exercises
Exercise of German relative pronouns
Exercise: Find the fitting relative pronoun!
Exercises
Exercise of German relative pronouns
Exercise: Find the fitting relative pronoun!
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
My name is Christina and I provide German & French language lesson for children and adult beginners or intermediate who want to strengthen their language skills, improve the grammar knowledge, enrich the vocabulary and get into the German culture! I can teach in English or French!
I had experince in teaching German, English and French to foreign people so I do have a lot of useful learning material I can provide you to make it easier!
D. .
Teacher also pleasant to professionals who knows how to suggest themes adapted to the interests of the child during lessons! I can only recommend Christina ...
Christina F.
C. M.
Montse is always energetic and interesting, she always tailor the lections on the attendants level, always keeping an eye on trying to be original and fun. Easily a 5 Star Teacher.
Montse F.
Hello !
I am a teacher of French as a Foreign Language (FLE), with a Master's degree in Training Engineering, specialising in FLE, Professional French and International Cooperation. Your needs are individual: we evaluate them together and I propose you an adapted learning based on my experience as a student as well as in a professional situation. No traditional pedagogy, we will use IT tools (TICE) to live a playful experience, inscribed in the action pedagogy, communicative method. I will accompany you whatever your level, including in the preparation for the exams for which I am qualified (France Education International, ex CIEP, DELF/DALF).
It is the exchange that is important, we move forward together.
Passionate about this profession, it is the diversity of intercultural exchanges that enriches my practice, a necessary complement to my activity in training engineering. I need to keep in touch with learners, so see you soon!
A. S.
Isabel is a french teacher who is qualified and has a great deal of experience. She has taught in different countries including the USA and Japan, and counts with different learning materials to help achieve different objectives.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Isabel C.
Hello =)
My name is Karolin and since the beginning of 2017, while I was still living in Chile, I've been giving online classes. I really enjoy my work and it gives me the privilage to get to know people from all around the world, which is amazing.
Both in English and in German, I teach classes for beginners and advanced students. I speak Spanish fluently, but as I lived in Chile for around 5 years, both my pronounciation and my choice of words are influenced by that. I learned and teach the european Spanish but only for beginners (A1/A2). But if you don't mind the chilenean influence, I do teach to a higher level as well.
If you'd like to get to know me and my teaching methods, just contact me and we will do a free trial lesson (please do NOT by a lesson before the trial lesson, not every teacher is good for every student).
See you soon!
R. D.
I am so happy to be taking German lessons with Karolin. She is an amazing teacher, I honestly cannot believe how much I have improved in the 6 months I have been taking lessons with her. She made me feel confortable from the very beginning, she is always on time and somehow makes me look forward to every lesson. Thanks for everything Karo!
Karolin G.
My name is Christina and I provide German & French language lesson for children and adult beginners or intermediate who want to strengthen their language skills, improve the grammar knowledge, enrich the vocabulary and get into the German culture! I can teach in English or French!
I had experince in teaching German, English and French to foreign people so I do have a lot of useful learning material I can provide you to make it easier!
A. K.
Today, I had a vocabulary boost. It's my third class and I'm happy with the teacher and the teaching method.
Christina F.
Hi!
My name is Krisztina! I’m a teacher of German and French with the corresponding qualifications. I've grown up in a bilingual family (Hungarian-German), so I speak both languages as a native language. I’ve been teaching for six years, so I’m able to estimate your needs, and to meet them. In my lessons, I recreat real life situations, so that you will be able to adapt yourselves to different circumstances. I’m a patient, positive and creative person, who is looking forward to see you in her lessons. So don’t hesitate to book a lesson with me.
R. .
Krisztina is extremely patient and is an excellent teacher. She gives great learning materials and the lessons are productive. Krisztina keeps the lessons focused and makes sure that you get the most out of the hour. I definitely recommend her.
Krisztina L.
Hello,
my name is Nina, I'm from Austria and I also lived for one year and a half in Canada. I worked there as a German Teacher for adults, so I speak German, English and French.
I also teach English for beginners and advanced beginners.
My teaching methodes are totally based on the level of my student. If somebody is already advanced, I focus on communication and pronunciation. We will arrange on a topic and talk and discuss in the lesson about it.
If my student is a beginner, I'm gonna start with the basics of the German language. (the articles, the verb "to be", the pronouns...)
The learning material is all made by myself, because I'm a German teacher, so that means, I already got lots of working sheets for many topics. I send these to my student via e-mail or put it directly on the coLanguage homepage.
I'm available from Monday to Thursday between 5pm and 08:00 pm. For the weekend it's the best to just send me a request.
Of course is a free trial lesson (it's about 20 minutes) possible.
I'm happy to teach you :-)
See you soon! Nina
R. G.
Today Nina helped me to fill out a couple of papers. Thank you Nina for your help and patience :)
Nina V.
My name is Tim Grundl and I have been teaching languages professionally for over 15 years. By using modern methods and a personal approach, the lessons become sustainable and motivating. The fun of learning should not be neglected, because learning is only possible in a relaxed atmosphere.
Book a free trial lesson and form your own opinion.
Whatever your goals are, conversation training, writing letters or emails, etc., together we will create a goal-oriented, individual plan to achieve these goals as stress-free as possible.
I would be happy to work with you.
M. R.
My husband has really enjoyed the lessons he's had with Tim. The material is rigorous and in-depth. Even after previous lessons, Tim has been able to push my husband and keep his confidence up.
Tim G.
Hello =)
My name is Karolin and since the beginning of 2017, while I was still living in Chile, I've been giving online classes. I really enjoy my work and it gives me the privilage to get to know people from all around the world, which is amazing.
Both in English and in German, I teach classes for beginners and advanced students. I speak Spanish fluently, but as I lived in Chile for around 5 years, both my pronounciation and my choice of words are influenced by that. I learned and teach the european Spanish but only for beginners (A1/A2). But if you don't mind the chilenean influence, I do teach to a higher level as well.
If you'd like to get to know me and my teaching methods, just contact me and we will do a free trial lesson (please do NOT by a lesson before the trial lesson, not every teacher is good for every student).
See you soon!
G. B.
Karolin has been an awesome teacher. She has been very flexible with our scheduling, while the lessons have been a great combination of being structured and fun. I would highly recommend Karolin to anyone looking to learn a new language or improve their language ability. Thanks again Karolin.
Karolin G.
I happen to be a safety and security specialist for a major oil and gas exploration company and have also done my one year TEFL Diploma. I have been teaching English to students online as well as in classrooms primarily out of passion and love for teaching English and helping the students overcome their difficulties and lack of confidence/ motivation towards using English in their every day lives. My average rating happens to be 4.99/5 with 5 star reviews on English teaching websites such as www.engoo.com and https://eikaiwa.dmm.com/.
Despite being a non native English speaker; I happen to have native level proficiency in aspects of English language and am very passionate about helping students achieve their goals and aspirations in life via use of exclusive and result orientated lesson that have allowed me to achieve my level of skills in English Language. Lastly, owing to my diversified professional back ground, I also provide consultation services with regards to motivation and self improvement and help individuals gain self confidence and to think objectively.
A. S.
Shahbaz is an English teacher from Pakistan who has had a lot of experience with adult audiences mainly and with beginners. He has learning materials to work both your comprehension and English verbal skills. He is a very concise and well-recommended teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Shahbaz J.
Hello, my name is Katerina und I’m a qualified German teacher with 8 years teaching experience.
I would like to help you to master the German language. You will get your personal online lesson via Skype.
If you are interested in learning this world language, just contact me –
I’m looking forward to getting to know you!
M. .
I can not recommend enough Katja. She makes the lessons extremely enjoyable. Her materials are diverse and well thought through.
Katerina B.
Dear Marcia, thank you!
INSEGNANTE DI TEDESCO
S. B.
Always a sheer pleasure to learn from Fiorina: full of positive energy, well prepared, full of resources... and with a smile!
Fiorina D.
I have 3 years of teaching experience and a 120 hours of advanced practical TEFL and TESOL. I am a dedicated teacher who cares about her students. I am an amazing listener, attentive, and very passionate. I enjoy traveling, for it allows me to meet new people of different cultures and backgrounds. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, for I get to make an impact in people's lives as much as they make an impact in mine. I cannot wait to make your English learning journey enjoyable and impactful.
A. S.
Paradise is a southafrican teacher with particular experience with younger students. She has a lot of fun learning materials that ensure an interactive lesson and seems to have great confidence in front of the camera.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Paradise N.
Italian teacher. 32 years of experience in face-to-face classes with adults and adolescents. Bachelor's degree in linguistics. The classes are adapted to the needs of the student. We do the program together when we walk, we have fun and you learn well. I am very didactic and clear when explaining. I have experience in different branches of pedagogy and glutodidactics.
A. S.
Marta is an Argentinean teacher who has had experience teaching Italian to adult audiences. She has a great variety of high-quality learning materials and various teaching methods.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Marta T.