Relativsätze · the sentence weaver
When two clauses share a noun, German folds them together: the shared noun becomes a relative pronoun, a comma slips in, and the verb jumps to the end. Pick an example and watch it weave.
Two clauses
Das ist der Mann.
Der Mannstehtdort.
The shared noun becomes a pronoun · the verb slides to the end
The pronoun is the subject of the relative clause → Nominativ. Masculine antecedent → der.
Three rules: the pronoun's gender & number come from the antecedent, but its case comes from its job inside the relative clause. Always a comma before the pronoun, and the conjugated verb goes last. After a preposition, the preposition comes first (mit denen, in der).
Every form
Pick a role to see all four gender forms. The cell for the example above is highlighted.
Nominativ: The pronoun is the SUBJECT of the relative clause — it does the action.
Relative pronouns match the definite article everywhere except the Dativ plural (denen) and the whole Genitiv row (dessen / deren).
At a glance
The noun in the main clause. It fixes the pronoun's gender & number.
A comma, then der/die/das/den/dem/dessen … — its case = its role in the clause.
The conjugated verb moves to the very end of the relative clause.
Make it stick
Twelve sentences across all four cases — including prepositions and the genitive. You'll get a per-case score at the end.
Das ist der Mann, … dort steht.
That is the man who is standing there.