German · B2 · Everyday language
Everything that counts in German
Use relative was to specify what you mean by alles, etwas, nichts and expressions such as das Beste. These patterns help you talk clearly about what matters, what is unclear and what you need.
What you'll learn
- Use was after alles, etwas and nichts to describe unspecified things precisely.
- Use was after nominalised neuter superlatives such as das Beste and das Nützlichste.
- Place commas and verbs correctly in these relative clauses.
- Distinguish was referring to an expression from was referring to a whole preceding statement.
German phrases for everything that counts
Alles, was wichtig ist, steht auf dieser Seite.
Everything that matters is written on this page.
Was specifies what alles includes: everything that is important.
Gibt es etwas, was dir noch unklar erscheint?
Is there anything that still seems unclear to you?
Etwas, was introduces an unspecified thing and then describes it.
Nichts, was du erwähnt hast, klingt unmöglich.
Nothing that you mentioned sounds impossible.
Was refers to nichts. Commas mark both ends of the inserted relative clause.
Das ist das Beste, was die ganze Woche passiert ist.
That's the best thing that happened all week.
Das Beste is a nominalised neuter superlative, followed by relative was.
Lass uns alles überprüfen, was in den Umschlag gehört.
Let's check everything that belongs in the envelope.
Alles, was identifies all the things that should go in the envelope.
Da ist etwas, was nicht zu deiner Erklärung passt.
There's something that doesn't fit your explanation.
The was-clause explains which unspecified detail does not fit.
Das ist das Nützlichste, was ich heute gelernt habe.
That's the most useful thing I've learnt today.
Das Nützlichste means 'the most useful thing'; its relative clause begins with was.
Nichts, was wir brauchen, ist zurückgeblieben.
Nothing that we need has been left behind.
Was refers specifically to nichts, not to the whole statement.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Seite
page
Plural: die Seiten.
der Umschlag
envelope
Plural: die Umschläge.
die Erklärung
explanation
Plural: die Erklärungen.
die Woche
week
Plural: die Wochen.
überprüfen
to check; to verify
Useful for checking that details or contents are correct.
unklar
unclear
Dir unklar means 'unclear to you'.
zu etwas passen
to fit something; to be consistent with something
Here it describes whether a detail matches an explanation.
Was after alles, etwas and nichts
Use relative was to describe unspecified things after alles, etwas and nichts. It means 'that' or 'which' here, not the question word 'what'. Was can be the subject or direct object within its clause and keeps the same form. After etwas, das is also possible.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Alles: everything that | alles, was … | Alles, was wichtig ist, steht hier. |
| Etwas: something that | etwas, was … | Da ist etwas, was nicht passt. |
| Nichts: nothing that | nichts, was … | Nichts, was du erwähnt hast, klingt unmöglich. |
Was after nominalised neuter superlatives
Expressions such as das Beste and das Nützlichste mean 'the best thing' and 'the most useful thing'. Capitalise the superlative because it is used as a noun, and use was to introduce the description that follows.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The best thing that | das Beste, was … | Das ist das Beste, was die ganze Woche passiert ist. |
| The most useful thing that | das Nützlichste, was … | Das ist das Nützlichste, was ich heute gelernt habe. |
Clause boundaries and word order
Separate the relative clause with a comma, and add a closing comma if the main clause continues. Put the finite verb at the end of the relative clause. Unlike English 'that', relative was cannot be left out.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relative clause at the end | …, was + other elements + finite verb | Wir prüfen alles, was in den Umschlag gehört. |
| Relative clause inside the main clause | Alles, was …, + main-clause continuation | Alles, was wir brauchen, liegt hier. |
| Two-part verb | …, was + subject + other elements + participle + finite verb | Das ist das Nützlichste, was ich heute gelernt habe. |
What does was refer to?
In this unit, was points back to a specific expression such as alles or das Beste. Sentential was instead comments on the whole preceding statement. Ask whether was describes 'which things' or comments on 'that whole fact'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Refers to alles | alles → was | Alles, was wir brauchen, ist da. |
| Refers to a whole statement | preceding statement → was | Alles ist da, was mich freut. |
More examples
Pack bitte alles ein, was du für die Schule brauchst.
Please pack everything you need for school.
English can omit 'that'; German must keep was.
Gibt es etwas, was du noch fragen möchtest?
Is there anything else you would like to ask?
Etwas, was helps invite a question without specifying its topic.
Nichts, was auf dieser Liste steht, darf fehlen.
Nothing on this list may be missing.
The relative clause defines what nichts covers.
Das ist das Wichtigste, was wir heute besprechen müssen.
That's the most important thing we need to discuss today.
Das Wichtigste is another nominalised neuter superlative followed by was.