German · B2 · Everyday language
Whose connection are we describing? in German
Use dessen and deren to express “whose” and identify people or things through ownership and relationships. Choose the form according to the noun being described, then place it before the noun naming what belongs or relates to it.
What you'll learn
- Use dessen for masculine and neuter singular antecedents.
- Use deren for feminine singular and all plural antecedents.
- Place dessen or deren before the possessed noun without an additional article.
- Describe family relationships, belongings and other connections precisely.
German phrases for whose connection are we describing?
Ist das das Mädchen, dessen Bruder Schach unterrichtet?
Is that the girl whose brother teaches chess?
Das Mädchen is grammatically neuter, so use dessen, even though it refers to a girl.
Ich kenne einen Jungen, dessen Eltern im Museum arbeiten.
I know a boy whose parents work at the museum.
Dessen refers to the masculine singular antecedent Junge, not to the plural noun Eltern.
Das ist der Autor, dessen Geschichten wir gestern besprochen haben.
That's the author whose stories we discussed yesterday.
Dessen links the stories to der Autor. For a female author: die Autorin, deren Geschichten.
Können wir die Nachbarn einladen, deren Tochter so alt ist wie ich?
Can we invite the neighbours whose daughter is my age?
Deren refers to the plural antecedent die Nachbarn, regardless of the singular noun Tochter.
Ich würde den Verein wählen, dessen Aktivitäten jede Woche wechseln.
I'd choose the club whose activities change each week.
Der Verein is masculine singular, so use dessen before Aktivitäten.
Wo ist das Puzzle, dessen letztes Teil gefehlt hat?
Where's the puzzle whose final piece was missing?
Das Puzzle is neuter singular. Dessen comes before the whole noun phrase letztes Teil.
Sie ist die Lehrerin, deren Vorschläge mir geholfen haben, mich zu konzentrieren.
She's the teacher whose suggestions helped me concentrate.
Die Lehrerin is feminine singular, so use deren before Vorschläge.
Das sind die Kinder, deren Mannschaft das Finale erreicht hat.
Those are the children whose team reached the final.
Deren refers to the plural antecedent die Kinder, not to Mannschaft.
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
das Mädchen
girl
Plural: die Mädchen. Grammatically neuter; use dessen when describing her connections.
der Bruder
brother
Plural: die Brüder.
die Eltern
parents
Plural-only noun in this meaning.
das Museum
museum
Plural: die Museen.
der Autor
author
Plural: die Autoren. Feminine: die Autorin; plural: die Autorinnen.
die Geschichte
story
Plural: die Geschichten.
der Nachbar
neighbour
Plural: die Nachbarn.
die Tochter
daughter
Plural: die Töchter.
der Verein
club; association
Plural: die Vereine. An organised club for shared interests or activities.
die Aktivität
activity
Plural: die Aktivitäten.
das Puzzle
jigsaw puzzle
Plural: die Puzzles.
das Teil
piece; component
Plural: die Teile. Used here for a puzzle piece.
die Lehrerin
teacher
Plural: die Lehrerinnen. Refers to a female teacher.
der Vorschlag
suggestion
Plural: die Vorschläge.
die Mannschaft
team
Plural: die Mannschaften.
das Finale
final
Plural: die Finals.
Choose the form from the antecedent
The antecedent is the noun that the relative clause describes. Dessen and deren mean “whose”: they mark a connection to that noun. Choose by the antecedent's grammatical gender and number, not by the gender or number of the possessed noun.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | dessen + possessed noun | der Autor, dessen Geschichten wir besprochen haben |
| Neuter singular | dessen + possessed noun | das Mädchen, dessen Bruder Schach unterrichtet |
| Feminine singular | deren + possessed noun | die Lehrerin, deren Vorschläge mir geholfen haben |
| Plural: all genders | deren + possessed noun | die Kinder, deren Mannschaft das Finale erreicht hat |
Place dessen or deren before the possessed noun
Dessen or deren introduces the possessed noun phrase. Do not add an article or another possessive such as sein or ihr. An adjective can stand between the relative pronoun and the noun. These connections include relationships and membership, not just literal ownership.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Without an article | dessen Bruder, not dessen der Bruder | das Mädchen, dessen Bruder Schach unterrichtet |
| Without an extra possessive | deren Tochter, not deren ihre Tochter | die Nachbarn, deren Tochter so alt ist wie ich |
| With an adjective | dessen/deren + adjective + noun | das Puzzle, dessen letztes Teil gefehlt hat |
More examples
Das ist der Vater, dessen Tochter in unserer Mannschaft spielt.
That's the father whose daughter plays on our team.
Use dessen because Vater is masculine, even though Tochter is feminine.
Das ist die Mutter, deren Sohn in unserer Mannschaft spielt.
That's the mother whose son plays on our team.
Use deren because Mutter is feminine, even though Sohn is masculine.
Kennst du das Kind, dessen Eltern im Museum arbeiten?
Do you know the child whose parents work at the museum?
The neuter singular antecedent Kind requires dessen; plural Eltern does not change the choice.
Hier sind die Bücher, deren Geschichten wir besprochen haben.
Here are the books whose stories we discussed.
Plural Bücher requires deren. The same pattern works for things as for people.