1. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze
(Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses in German)
Relativpronomen / Relativsätze
Kontext: Arbeitswelt
(Vorbereitet von Prof. Engel-Doyle, Version vom 24. September 2010)

2. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze:
Der junge Mann,
der in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
English equivalent:
… who is apprenticing/training to become
a certified shipping/logistics clerk at Mr. Schaefer’s company ….

3. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze:
Die junge Frau,
die in Rostock Physik studiert,
heißt Silke Petersen.
English equivalent:
… who is studying physics in Rostock ….

4. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze:
Journalistin ist ein Beruf,
der Andrea interessiert.
English equivalent:
… that interests Andrea ….

5. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze:
Krankenpflegerin [= Krankenschwester]
ist ein Beruf,
für den Kathi sich interessiert.
English equivalent:
… that Kathie is interested in
/ … in which Kathie is interested

6. Relativpronomen / Relativsätze:
Pilot ist ein Beruf,
den Markus interessant findet.
English equivalent:
… that Markus finds interesting / thinks is interesting ….

7. Relativpronomen Das Zimmer,
The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and
refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause.
That noun is called ANTECEDANT.
Das Zimmer,
das Michaels Chef für ihn organisiert hat,
ist klein, aber gemütlich
und vor allem nicht sehr teuer.
English equivalent:
The room that Michael’ boss found/organized for him is small, but cozy
and, above all, not very expensive.

8. Relativpronomen Das Büro,
The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and
refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause.
That noun is called ANTECEDANT.
Das Büro,
in dem Michael arbeitet,
hat ein großes Fenster und einen tollen Blick auf den Hafen.
English equivalent:
The office that Michael works in has a big window and a great view of the harbor.

9. Relativpronomen Die Firma,
The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and
refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause.
That noun is called ANTECEDANT.
Die Firma,
für die Frau Müller arbeitet,
ist sehr familienfreundlich.
English equivalent:
The company that Mrs. Miller is working for is very family oriented.
/ The company for which Mrs. Miller is working is very family friendly.

10. Relativpronomen dessen Wagen direkt vor der Tür geparkt steht,
The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and
refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause.
That noun is called ANTECEDANT.
Der Mann,
dessen Wagen direkt vor der Tür geparkt steht,
ist der Chef.
English equivalent:
The man whose car is parked directly in front of the door is the boss.

11. Relativpronomen: Formen
maskulin Sg.
neutrum Sg.
feminin Sg.
Plural (m+n+f)
der
das
die
die
Nominativ
den
das
die
die
Akkusativ
dem
dem
der
denen
Dativ
dessen
dessen
deren
deren
Genitiv
The German relative pronoun forms are basically the same as the definite articles.
However, in the dative plural, –en is added.
Similarly, all genitive forms attach/add –en.
In addition, in the genitive masculine and neuter, the -s- is doubled.

12. der [subject => nominative case]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Der junge Mann [singular masculine],
der [subject => nominative case]
in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
[Green + Red result: neuter nominative relative pronoun]

13. die [subject => nominative case]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Die junge Frau [singular feminin],
die [subject => nominative case]
in Rostock Physik studiert,
heißt Silke Petersen.
[Green + Red result: feminin nominative relative pronoun]

14. den [direct object => accusative case]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Pilot ist ein Beruf [singular masculine],
den [direct object => accusative case]
Markus interessant findet.
[Green + Red result: masculine accusative relative pronoun]

15. in dem [in + dative due to stationary action]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Das Büro [singular neuter],
in dem [in + dative due to stationary action]
Michael arbeitet,
hat einen tolllen Blick auf den Hafen.
[Green + Red result: neuter dative relative pronoun]

16. für die [für + accusative case]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Die Firma [singular feminin],
für die [für + accusative case]
Frau Müller arbeitet,
ist sehr familienfreundlich.
[Green + Red result: feminin accusative relative pronoun]

17. dessen [whose => genitive case]
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
Der Mann [singular maculine],
dessen [whose => genitive case]
Auto direkt vor der Tür geparkt ist,
ist der Chef.
[Green + Red result: maculine genitive relative pronoun]

18. der das die die den das die die dem dem der denen dessen dessen deren
The relative pronoun
--must agree with the antecedant in number (singular/plural)
and gender (masc., fem., neut.),
BUT
--the case of the relative pronoun depends
on its function within the relative clause.
maskulin Sg.
neutrum Sg.
feminin Sg.
Plural (m+n+f)
der
das
die
die
Nominativ
den
das
die
die
Akkusativ
dem
dem
der
denen
Dativ
dessen
dessen
deren
deren
Genitiv

19. RelativSätze Like most* subordinated/dependant clauses in German,
German relative clauses have the CONJUGATED VERB at the VERY END:
Die Wohnung, die
Michaels Chef für ihn organisiert hat,
ist nett, aber nicht sehr teuer.
The housing (that)
Michael’s boss organized for him
is pleasant, but not very expensive.
Der junge Mann, der
in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
The name of the young man (who is)
apprenticing/training
as a shipping/logistics clerk
at Mr. Schaefer’s company
is Michael Händel.
*The only exception to this rule are subordinate clauses with double infinitive structures.
Unlike any other non-conjugated verb part which always is at the end,
double infinitives go even behind the subordinate conjugated verb (which stays at the very end)
to the very, very end of the subordinated clause.

20. Relativpronomen Die Wohnung, die
Unlike in English, the relative pronoun is NEVER OMITTED in German:
Die Wohnung, die
Michaels Chef für ihn organisiert hat,
ist nett, aber nicht sehr teuer.
The housing that
Michael’s boss organized for him
is pleasant, but not very expensive.
Die Wohnung, die
Michaels Chef für ihn organisiert hat,
ist nett, aber nicht sehr teuer.
The housing ______
Michael’s boss organized for him
is pleasant, but not very expensive.

21. Relativpronomen Der junge Mann, der in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Unlike in English, the relative pronoun is NEVER OMITTED in German:
Der junge Mann, der
in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
The young man who is
apprenticing/training
as a shipping/logistics clerk
at Mr. Schaefer’s company
is Michael Händel.
Der junge Mann, der
in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
The young man ______
apprenticing/training
as a shipping/logistics clerk
at Mr. Schaefer’s company
is Michael Händel.

22. RelativSätze Das Büro, in dem Michael arbeitet, hat große Fenster.
Unlike in English, if there is a PREPOSITION connected to the relative pronoun,
it ALWAYS PRECEDES (= goes before) the relative pronoun:
The office (that) Michael works in
has big windows.
The office in which Michael works
has big windows.
Das Büro, in dem
Michael arbeitet,
hat große Fenster.

23. RelativSätze Die Firma, für die Frau Müller arbeitet,
Unlike in English, if there is a PREPOSITION connected to the relative pronoun,
it ALWAYS PRECEDES (= goes before) the relative pronoun!
Die Firma, für die
Frau Müller arbeitet,
ist sehr familienfreundlich.
The company for which
Mrs. Miller is working
is very family oriented.
Die Firma, für die
Frau Müller arbeitet,
ist sehr familienfreundlich.
The company that
Mrs. Miller is working for
is very family oriented.
+ Unlike in English, the relative pronoun is NEVER OMITTED in German:
Die Firma, für die
Frau Müller arbeitet,
ist sehr familienfreundlich.
The company _____
Mrs. Miller is working for
is very family oriented.

24. Relativsätze Der junge Mann, der in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Unlike in English, German relative clauses are ALWAYS SET OFF BY COMMAS
(regardless whether they are defining or non-defining):
The young man (who is)
apprenticing/training
as a shipping/logistics clerk
at Mr. Schaefer’s company
is Michael Händel.
Der junge Mann, der
in der Firma von Herrn Schäfer
Speditionskaufmann lernt,
heißt Michael Händel.
Michael Haendel, who is originally from Ruegen,
is dreaming of a brilliant career in international business.
Michael Händel, der aus Rügen stammt, träumt
von einer brillianten Karriere im internationalen Geschäftswesen.