German · B1 · Everyday language
People Behind Projects in German
Use relative clauses to talk about the people and things that make a project special. German relative pronouns such as der, die and das can mean “who” or “that.”
What you'll learn
- Describe people and things connected with a project.
- Choose der, die or das to match the noun’s gender and number.
- Use nominative relative pronouns when they are the subject of the relative clause.
- Put the finite verb at the end of the relative clause and mark the clause with commas.
German phrases for people behind projects
Ist das der Junge, der die Videos für deine Gruppe macht?
Is that the boy who makes the videos for your group?
Der refers to der Junge and is the subject of macht. The verb macht goes at the end of the relative clause.
Ich mag den Lehrer, der deine Naturwissenschafts-AG leitet.
I like the teacher who leads your science club.
Den Lehrer is the object of mag, but der is the subject of leitet. This version refers to a male teacher.
Wir können das Buch ausleihen, das das Experiment erklärt.
We can borrow the book that explains the experiment.
The first das after the comma is the relative pronoun referring to das Buch. The second is the article in das Experiment.
Sind das die Freunde, die mit dir an dem Projekt arbeiten?
Are these the friends who work on the project with you?
Plural die refers to die Freunde, so the verb is plural: arbeiten.
Wo ist das Mädchen, das die Antwort weiß?
Where is the girl who knows the answer?
Mädchen is grammatically neuter, so use das, even though it refers to a girl.
Das Spiel, das dir beim Üben in Mathe hilft, steht im Regal.
The game that helps you practise maths is on the shelf.
The relative clause ends with hilft. After its closing comma, the main sentence continues with steht im Regal.
Die Poster, die im Flur hängen, sehen beeindruckend aus.
The posters that hang in the hall look impressive.
Plural die is the subject of hängen. Flur means a hallway or corridor.
Ich kann den Nachbarn fragen, der Fahrräder repariert.
I can ask the neighbour who repairs bicycles.
Der Nachbar becomes den Nachbarn as the object of fragen. The relative pronoun remains nominative der because it is the subject of repariert.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Naturwissenschafts-AG
science club
AG is short for Arbeitsgemeinschaft and commonly means a school club or activity group.
leiten
to lead; to run
Use it for leading a club, group or project.
ausleihen
to borrow; to lend
Context tells you which meaning is intended. Wir können das Buch ausleihen means “We can borrow the book.”
an einem Projekt arbeiten
to work on a project
Use an with the dative here: an dem Projekt, often shortened to am Projekt.
Mathe
maths; math
A common, informal short form of Mathematik.
beeindruckend aussehen
to look impressive
Aussehen is separable: Die Poster sehen beeindruckend aus.
der Nachbar
the neighbour
For a male neighbour. Most singular forms other than the nominative add -n, as in den Nachbarn. A female neighbour is die Nachbarin.
Choosing a nominative relative pronoun
A relative clause describes a noun. When the relative pronoun is the subject—the person or thing doing the action—use the nominative form. Match the gender and number of the noun being described, not its case in the main clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | der | der Junge, der Videos macht |
| Feminine singular | die | die Lehrerin, die die AG leitet |
| Neuter singular | das | das Buch, das das Experiment erklärt |
| Plural: all genders | die | die Freunde, die am Projekt arbeiten |
Word order and commas
Place the relative clause directly after the noun it describes. Begin with the relative pronoun and put the finite verb—the verb form that agrees with the subject—at the end. Always separate the relative clause with commas. If the main sentence continues afterward, add a closing comma.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relative clause at the end | main clause + comma + relative pronoun + other words + verb | Wo ist das Mädchen, das die Antwort weiß? |
| Relative clause inside the main sentence | noun + comma + relative clause + comma + rest of main sentence | Die Poster, die im Flur hängen, sehen beeindruckend aus. |
| Main-clause object, relative-clause subject | den Lehrer → der | Ich mag den Lehrer, der die AG leitet. |
More examples
Kennst du die Frau, die unser Projekt leitet?
Do you know the woman who leads our project?
Feminine singular die is the subject of leitet.
Das Kind, das die Bilder malt, ist mein Bruder.
The child who paints the pictures is my brother.
Use das because Kind is neuter. Two commas surround the relative clause.
Das sind die Kinder, die unser Video machen.
Those are the children who are making our video.
Plural die goes with the plural verb machen at the end of the relative clause.