German · B1 · Everyday language
Which One Exactly in German
Use shared memories to identify exactly which person or thing your child means. German relative clauses add details such as whom you invited or what you watched together.
What you'll learn
- Use den, die and das as accusative relative pronouns, including die for plural nouns.
- Distinguish the relative pronoun as direct object from the separate subject.
- Place the conjugated verb at the end of the relative clause.
- Use commas to separate a relative clause from the main clause.
German phrases for which one exactly
Ist das der Junge, den du zu deiner Geburtstagsparty eingeladen hast?
Is that the boy whom you invited to your birthday party?
Den refers to the masculine noun Junge and is the object of eingeladen hast. Du is the subject.
Der Film, den wir zusammen gesehen haben, ist für deine Übernachtungsparty geeignet.
The film that we watched together is suitable for your sleepover.
Den refers to Film. Wir is the subject, and the relative clause ends with gesehen haben.
Ist das die Jacke, die du auf der Klassenfahrt getragen hast?
Is this the jacket that you wore on the class trip?
Die refers to the feminine noun Jacke. Getragen hast means 'wore' here.
Das Mädchen, das wir im Sportverein getroffen haben, wohnt in der Nähe.
The girl whom we met at the sports club lives nearby.
Mädchen is grammatically neuter, so its accusative relative pronoun is das, even though it refers to a girl.
Das Buch, das du ausgeliehen hast, enthält ein paar nützliche Ideen für dein Projekt.
The book that you borrowed has some useful project ideas.
Das refers to the neuter noun Buch and is the object of ausgeliehen hast. Du is the subject.
Ist das das Spiel, das dein Freund empfohlen hat?
Is that the game that your friend recommended?
The relative pronoun das refers to Spiel. Dein Freund is the subject; use deine Freundin for a female friend.
Die Fotos, die du ausgewählt hast, werden auf deinem Poster gut aussehen.
The photos that you chose will look good on your poster.
Die refers to the plural noun Fotos. Du is the subject, so the relative clause ends with hast, not haben.
Sind das die Freunde, die du für Samstag eingeladen hast?
Are these the friends whom you invited for Saturday?
Die refers to the plural noun Freunde. Für Samstag identifies the planned day, rather than the day you sent the invitation.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
die Übernachtungsparty
sleepover
A gathering where children stay overnight.
die Klassenfahrt
class trip
Usually a school trip lasting more than one day. A day outing is often called ein Klassenausflug.
der Sportverein
sports club
Im Sportverein means 'at the sports club'; im combines in and dem.
in der Nähe
nearby
Use with wohnen to say that someone lives nearby.
ausleihen
to borrow; to lend
Context tells you which meaning is intended. Das Buch, das du ausgeliehen hast means 'the book that you borrowed' here.
für Samstag
for Saturday
Compare für Samstag eingeladen ('invited for Saturday') with am Samstag eingeladen ('invited on Saturday').
Choose the accusative relative pronoun
The noun being described determines the relative pronoun's gender and number. Its role inside the relative clause determines its case. Use the accusative when it is the direct object: the person invited or the thing watched, worn, borrowed or chosen.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | den | der Junge, den du eingeladen hast |
| Feminine singular | die | die Jacke, die du getragen hast |
| Neuter singular | das | das Buch, das du ausgeliehen hast |
| Plural: all genders | die | die Fotos, die du ausgewählt hast |
Keep the object and subject separate
In these relative clauses, the relative pronoun is the object, not the subject. The separate subject tells you who does the action and determines the verb ending. Unlike English 'that', a German relative pronoun cannot be left out.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject: du | den + du + ... + hast | der Junge, den du eingeladen hast |
| Subject: wir | den + wir + ... + haben | der Film, den wir zusammen gesehen haben |
| Subject: dein Freund | das + dein Freund + ... + hat | das Spiel, das dein Freund empfohlen hat |
Verb position and commas
Place the relative clause directly after the noun it describes. The conjugated verb goes at the end of that clause. In the perfect tense, the past participle comes just before haben or hast. Use a comma before the relative clause and another after it if the main clause continues.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relative clause at the end | main clause + comma + relative clause | Ist das die Jacke, die du auf der Klassenfahrt getragen hast? |
| Relative clause in the middle | noun + comma + relative clause + comma + rest of main clause | Das Mädchen, das wir im Sportverein getroffen haben, wohnt in der Nähe. |
More examples
der Junge, den du zu deiner Geburtstagsparty eingeladen hast
the boy whom you invited to your birthday party
You invited the boy: du is the subject, and den is the direct object.
die Jacke, die du auf der Klassenfahrt getragen hast
the jacket that you wore on the class trip
You wore the jacket: die is the feminine accusative relative pronoun.
das Spiel, das dein Freund empfohlen hat
the game that your friend recommended
Your friend recommended the game: dein Freund is the subject, and das is the direct object.
die Freunde, die du für Samstag eingeladen hast
the friends whom you invited for Saturday
You invited the friends: die is plural, but hast agrees with the singular subject du.