At CEFR level A2, you learn the Relativpronomen, the German relative pronouns (der, die, das, den, dem, denen) that introduce relative clauses. They agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to (Bezugswort), but take their case from their function inside the relative clause.
A Relativpronomen agrees in gender and number with the Bezugswort, but takes its case from its function inside the relative clause. The verb goes to the end.
| Kasus | maskulin | feminin | neutral | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der | die | das | die |
| Akkusativ | den | die | das | die |
| Dativ | dem | der | dem | denen |
Note: Dativ Plural = denen (not den).
| Kasus | Funktion | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|
| Nom. | Subjekt im Relativsatz | Das ist die Lehrerin, die Deutsch unterrichtet. |
| Akk. | Direktes Objekt | Der Film, den wir gesehen haben, war spannend. |
| Dat. | Indirektes Objekt / Dativverb | Die Freundin, der ich geholfen habe, ist nett. |
| Präp. | Nach Präposition | Die Firma, für die er arbeitet, ist groß. |
Main clause + comma + Relativpronomen + … + verb (+ comma, if the main clause continues).
A Relativpronomen introduces a relative clause (Relativsatz) that describes a noun from the main clause, like "who," "which," or "that" in English. It agrees in gender and number with the Bezugswort but takes its case from its function inside the relative clause.
Two decisions: (1) Match gender and number to the Bezugswort, e.g. die Frau (feminine singular) → die/die/der; (2) Determine case from the pronoun's function inside the relative clause — subject → Nominativ, direct object → Akkusativ, indirect object or after a dative verb → Dativ.
denen is the Dativ plural Relativpronomen. It differs from the article den (accusative masculine). Use denen when the relative pronoun refers to a plural noun in the dative: Das sind die Kinder, denen wir geholfen haben.
In a Relativsatz (subordinate clause), the conjugated verb moves to the end: Das ist der Mann, der hier wohnt. If the clause interrupts the main sentence, add commas before and after: Der Mann, der hier wohnt, ist Arzt.