German · B1 · Everyday language
The one you mean in German
Use a shared memory to identify a person or thing: the neighbour you met, the song you wanted to hear, or the words you did not understand. German uses accusative relative pronouns den, die and das when that person or thing is the direct object in the relative clause.
What you'll learn
- Choose den, die or das according to the gender and number of the noun being identified.
- Recognise the relative pronoun as the direct object and identify the separate subject.
- Place the finite verb at the end of the relative clause.
- Use commas to separate the relative clause from the main clause.
German phrases for the one you mean
Das ist der Nachbar, den wir gestern getroffen haben.
That is the neighbour whom we met yesterday.
Den refers to the masculine noun Nachbar. Wir is the subject doing the meeting; haben ends the relative clause.
Hier ist das Lied, das du hören wolltest.
Here is the song that you wanted to hear.
Das refers to the neuter noun Lied and is the object of hören. Du is the subject; wolltest comes last.
Ist das der Witz, den du deinem Lehrer erzählt hast?
Is this the joke that you told your teacher?
Den refers to Witz: the joke is what you told. Du is the subject; hast ends the relative clause.
Die Frau, die du begrüßt hast, wohnt in der Nähe.
The woman whom you greeted lives nearby.
Die refers to Frau and is the object of begrüßt hast. Commas mark both ends of the inserted relative clause.
Das sind die Wörter, die ich nicht verstanden habe.
Those are the words that I did not understand.
Plural die refers to Wörter. Ich is the subject; habe comes last.
Der Film, den wir gesehen haben, war ziemlich lustig.
The film that we watched was quite funny.
Den refers to the masculine noun Film. The main clause continues with war after the relative clause.
Wo ist die Eintrittskarte, die ich dir gegeben habe?
Where is the ticket that I gave you?
Die refers to the feminine noun Eintrittskarte, meaning an admission ticket. Ich is the subject; the ticket is the thing given.
Der Name, den du vorgeschlagen hast, ist sehr schön.
The name that you suggested is lovely.
Den refers to the masculine noun Name. Du is the subject; hast ends the relative clause.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Nachbar
neighbour
Plural: die Nachbarn.
das Lied
song
Plural: die Lieder.
der Witz
joke
Plural: die Witze.
der Lehrer
teacher (male)
Plural: die Lehrer. Female: die Lehrerin; plural: die Lehrerinnen.
die Frau
woman
Plural: die Frauen.
das Wort
word
Plural here: die Wörter, for individual words.
der Film
film; movie
Plural: die Filme.
die Eintrittskarte
ticket; admission ticket
Plural: die Eintrittskarten. Used for entry to a cinema, theatre or event.
der Name
name
Plural: die Namen.
begrüßen
to greet
Used when saying hello to someone.
vorschlagen
to suggest
Useful for suggesting a name, game or activity.
Choosing the accusative relative pronoun
The relative pronoun refers back to a noun and matches its gender and number. Use the accusative forms below when it is the direct object inside the relative clause—the person or thing someone meets, greets, watches or suggests.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | den | der Nachbar, den wir gestern getroffen haben |
| Feminine singular | die | die Frau, die du begrüßt hast |
| Neuter singular | das | das Lied, das du hören wolltest |
| Plural, all genders | die | die Wörter, die ich nicht verstanden habe |
A separate subject and a final verb
In these relative clauses, the relative pronoun is the object, not the subject. A separate subject such as ich, du or wir tells you who does the action. The finite verb—the verb that changes to match the subject—comes last. Unlike English, German cannot leave out the relative pronoun.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pattern | relative pronoun + subject + other words + finite verb | der Witz, den du kennst |
| With a participle | relative pronoun + subject + other words + participle + finite auxiliary | der Film, den wir gesehen haben |
| With a modal verb | relative pronoun + subject + infinitive + finite modal | das Lied, das du hören wolltest |
Position and commas
Place the relative clause directly after the noun it identifies. Put a comma before it, and another after it if the main clause continues. The pronoun's case comes from its role inside the relative clause, not the noun's role in the main clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relative clause at the end | main clause + comma + relative clause | Hier ist das Lied, das du hören wolltest. |
| Relative clause inserted | noun + comma + relative clause + comma + main-clause continuation | Der Name, den du vorgeschlagen hast, ist sehr schön. |
More examples
Wo ist der Ball, den wir gestern gekauft haben?
Where is the ball that we bought yesterday?
Den identifies the masculine noun Ball through a shared purchase. Wir is the subject.
Die Tasche, die du gestern gepackt hast, steht hier.
The bag that you packed yesterday is here.
Die is the object of gepackt hast; du is the subject.
Das ist das Buch, das wir zusammen gelesen haben.
That is the book that we read together.
Das refers to the neuter noun Buch. Haben comes at the end.
Die Kekse, die wir zusammen gebacken haben, sind lecker.
The biscuits that we baked together are delicious.
Plural die refers to Kekse. The shared baking experience identifies which biscuits you mean.