Definierende Relativsätze: Personen und Dinge identifizieren
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Defining relative clauses give essential information to identify exactly which person or thing you are talking about.
- Use 'who' or 'that' for people (e.g., The man who called).
- Use 'which' or 'that' for things (e.g., The car that I bought).
- Never use commas before or after a defining relative clause.
Overview
Pass me the laptop, wird er dich fragend ansehen. Du musst spezifischer werden. Du sagst: Pass me the laptop that is next to the plant.who always asks questions. Diese Sätze geben uns die Antwort auf die implizite Frage: Which one? (Welcher?) oder What kind of? (Was für einer?).Who(für Personen):
der, die oder welcher/welche. Im Englischen ist es egal, ob die Person männlich oder weiblich ist.- Beispiel:
The colleague who called you is on line 1.(Der Kollege / Die Kollegin, der/die dich angerufen hat...)
Which(für Dinge, Tiere und Konzepte):
- Beispiel:
The report which I sent yesterday contains the data.(Der Bericht, den ich gestern geschickt habe...)
That(Der Allrounder für alles):
that fast immer als Ersatz für who oder which benutzen. Es ist sehr gebräuchlich in der gesprochenen Sprache und klingt oft natürlicher als das etwas formellere which.- Beispiel (Person):
The girl that lives next door. - Beispiel (Sache):
The car that I bought is blue.
Der Mann, den ich sah (Akkusativ), Der Mann, dem ich half (Dativ). Im Englischen bleibt who oder that einfach gleich. Das spart uns eine Menge Gehirnschmalz beim Sprechen!The man who works here. | The machine that makes coffee. |The bus which goes to the airport. |The man works here is my boss ist falsch.The book (that) I read. |The person (who) I met. |The book I read. Das klingt für Muttersprachler oft sogar besser und flüssiger.with, for, in, to) ins Spiel kommt, haben wir zwei Möglichkeiten:- Informell (sehr häufig): Die Präposition wandert ans Ende des Relativsatzes. Das Pronomen kann dann oft weggelassen werden.
The project (that) I'm working on...(Das Projekt, an dem ich arbeite...)The person (who) I was talking to...(Die Person, mit der ich gesprochen habe...)
- Formell: Die Präposition steht vor dem Pronomen. In diesem Fall musst du
whom(für Personen) oderwhich(für Sachen) benutzen.Thatdarf niemals direkt nach einer Präposition stehen! The project on which I am working...(Klingt sehr nach akademischem Paper oder offiziellem Vertrag).
- Im Büro (Projekte identifizieren):
I've updated the file that contains the budget planning. Hier definiert der Relativsatz genau, welche Datei gemeint ist.- Beim Networking oder auf Partys (Personen beschreiben):
He is the guy who helped me with my presentation last week. Ohne den Relativsatz wäre „He is the guy“ eine ziemlich nutzlose Information.- Beim Einkaufen oder Reisen (Anforderungen formulieren):
I'm looking for a hotel which has a gym and a sauna. Der Relativsatz fungiert hier als Filter für deine Suche.- Definitionen geben:
A 'corkscrew' is a tool that you use to open wine bottles. Das ist eine klassische B1-Strategie, um Sprachbarrieren zu überwinden.- Generalisierungen:
People who exercise regularly tend to be healthier. Hier definierst du eine ganze Gruppe von Menschen durch ihr Verhalten.Das ist der Mann, den ich kenne. (Mit Komma). Im Englischen ist das Komma bei *Defining Relative Clauses* ein schwerer Fehler:- Falsch:
This is the man, that I know. - Richtig:
This is the man that I know.
Who vs. Which Verwechslung:- Falsch:
The woman which lives here.(Frauen sind keine Sachen!) - Richtig:
The woman who lives here. - Falsch:
The car who I bought.(Autos haben keine Persönlichkeit!) - Richtig:
The car which I bought.(Oder einfachThe car I bought).
- Falsch:
The book that I read it was good.(Dasthatsteht bereits für das Buch, dasitist zu viel). - Richtig:
The book that I read was good. - Falsch:
The man who he called me is my boss. - Richtig:
The man who called me is my boss.
that | Sehr häufig erlaubt. | Niemals erlaubt (nur who/which). |My brother who lives in London is a doctor. (Der in London, nicht der in Berlin). | My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor. (Ich habe nur einen Bruder, er lebt übrigens in London). |that benutzen?the house in that I live – falsch!) solltest du zu who oder which greifen.I, you, he, we? Dann ist das Relativpronomen das Objekt und kann weg: The cake (that) you baked. Folgt direkt ein Verb? Dann muss es bleiben: The cake that was on the table.whose?Whose benutzt du für Besitzverhältnisse (Deutsch: dessen/deren). Es funktioniert auch in Defining Relative Clauses: The author whose book I read. Es ersetzt das deutsche Genitiv-Relativpronomen und ist für Personen und Sachen gleichermaßen nutzbar.The students who passed the exam were happy. (Nur die, die bestanden haben, waren glücklich).The students, who passed the exam, were happy. (Alle Studenten haben bestanden und alle waren glücklich).Relative Pronoun Selection
| Target | Subject Form | Object Form | Possessive Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
People
|
who / that
|
who / whom / that / (omitted)
|
whose
|
|
Things
|
which / that
|
which / that / (omitted)
|
whose / of which
|
|
Places
|
which / that
|
where
|
n/a
|
|
Times
|
that
|
when
|
n/a
|
Meanings
A defining relative clause provides information that is necessary to identify the noun it follows. Without this clause, the sentence would be incomplete or the meaning would change significantly.
Identifying People
Using 'who' or 'that' to specify which person is being discussed.
“The woman who lives next door is a doctor.”
“I know a girl that speaks five languages.”
Identifying Things
Using 'which' or 'that' to specify which object or concept is being discussed.
“The book which I borrowed is excellent.”
“This is the phone that has the best camera.”
Possession
Using 'whose' to show who something belongs to within the identifying clause.
“The boy whose father is a pilot is my friend.”
“I met a woman whose car had broken down.”
Reference Table
| Relativpronomen | Bezieht sich auf | Verwendung | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|---|
|
who
|
Personen
|
Subjekt oder Objekt
|
`The friend who called.`
|
|
which
|
Dinge / Tiere
|
Subjekt oder Objekt
|
`The phone which rang.`
|
|
that
|
Personen / Dinge / Tiere
|
Subjekt oder Objekt
|
`The idea that succeeded.`
|
Formalitätsspektrum
The gentleman whom I encountered this morning. (social_interaction)
The man who I met this morning. (social_interaction)
The guy I met this morning. (social_interaction)
The dude I linked with earlier. (social_interaction)
Definierende Relativsätze: Das Wichtigste
Pronomen
- who für Personen
- which für Dinge/Tiere
- that für Personen & Dinge (informell)
Funktion
- Identify 'Welches?' genau bestimmen
- Clarify Mehr Klarheit schaffen
Struktur
- No commas Teil der Kernbedeutung
- Follows noun Direkt nach dem Nomen, das es beschreibt
Who vs. Which vs. That in definierenden Sätzen
Dein Relativpronomen wählen (Definierende Sätze)
Sind die Informationen wichtig, um das Nomen zu identifizieren?
Ist das Nomen eine Person?
Ist das Nomen ein Ding oder ein Tier?
Wann definierende Sätze helfen
Personen genau bestimmen
- • The friend who lent me money.
- • The teacher that graded my essay.
- • The actor who won the Oscar.
Dinge genau benennen
- • The book which I finished.
- • The phone that rang loudly.
- • The movie which everyone saw.
Kontext klarstellen
- • The coffee that has oat milk.
- • The app which tracks my steps.
- • The meme that went viral.
Beispiele nach Niveau
The man who is happy is my dad.
The man who is happy is my dad.
The dog which is big is mine.
The dog which is big is mine.
I like the girl who is nice.
I like the girl who is nice.
This is the house which is blue.
This is the house which is blue.
The phone that I have is new.
The phone that I have is new.
The people that live here are kind.
The people that live here are kind.
Where is the cake that I bought?
Where is the cake that I bought?
I saw the movie that you liked.
I saw the movie that you liked.
The woman whose car broke down is waiting.
The woman whose car broke down is waiting.
The hotel where we stayed was cheap.
The hotel where we stayed was cheap.
The reason why I called is important.
The reason why I called is important.
Is that the man you were talking about?
Is that the man you were talking about?
The candidate whom we interviewed yesterday was impressive.
The candidate whom we interviewed yesterday was impressive.
The city in which he was born is very small.
The city in which he was born is very small.
The students failing the test will need to retake it.
The students failing the test will need to retake it.
It was the atmosphere that made the restaurant special.
It was the atmosphere that made the restaurant special.
The speed at which the virus spread was alarming.
The speed at which the virus spread was alarming.
Any person found trespassing will be prosecuted.
Any person found trespassing will be prosecuted.
The extent to which he went to help was amazing.
The extent to which he went to help was amazing.
He is a man for whom I have great respect.
He is a man for whom I have great respect.
The manner in which the data was manipulated suggests fraud.
The manner in which the data was manipulated suggests fraud.
Such was the intensity with which she studied that she fell ill.
Such was the intensity with which she studied that she fell ill.
The person to whom the letter was addressed has moved.
The person to whom the letter was addressed has moved.
The criteria by which we judge art are subjective.
The criteria by which we judge art are subjective.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often use commas in defining clauses or use 'that' in non-defining clauses.
Using 'what' to mean 'the thing that'.
Mixing up the person with their possessions.
Häufige Fehler
The man what lives here.
The man who lives here.
The car who I like.
The car that I like.
The boy he is my friend.
The boy who is my friend.
I like the book is red.
I like the book that is red.
The man, who is tall, is my uncle.
The man who is tall is my uncle.
The girl who she called me.
The girl who called me.
The house that I live.
The house where I live.
The man whose his car is red.
The man whose car is red.
The reason because I came.
The reason why I came.
The book I read it was good.
The book I read was good.
The person that I gave the book.
The person to whom I gave the book.
Satzmuster
The ___ who ___ is ___.
I'm looking for a ___ that ___.
That is the ___ where ___.
He is the kind of person whose ___ is always ___.
Real World Usage
I am looking for a role that allows me to use my coding skills.
Show me the laptops that are under $500.
I want to meet someone who loves hiking and travel.
The suspect is a man who was wearing a blue hoodie.
Did you see the video I sent you?
Take the bus that stops in front of the library.
Behalte das Wesentliche!
The student who passed the exam.
Keine Kommas!
The book that I read.
'that' geht (fast) immer!
The person that I saw.
'whom' ist super formell
To whom it may concern.
Smart Tips
You can probably omit the relative pronoun entirely to sound more like a native speaker.
Avoid using 'that' for people; use 'who' or 'whom' instead to maintain a professional tone.
Try removing the clause. If the sentence becomes confusing or 'The [Noun]' doesn't refer to anyone specific anymore, don't use commas.
Remember that 'whose' replaces 'his/her/their' + the noun. Don't keep the possessive adjective!
Aussprache
Relative Pronoun Reduction
In fast speech, 'that' is often pronounced with a schwa /ðət/.
Stress on the Noun
The stress usually falls on the noun being defined, not the relative pronoun.
Continuous Flow
The girl who lives next door ↗ is a doctor.
There is no pause between the noun and the defining clause.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
WHO is for humans, WHICH is for things, and THAT is the friend that fits both strings.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a giant magnifying glass hovering over a crowd of people. The glass highlights one person wearing a 'WHO' t-shirt. This represents how the clause 'defines' or 'zooms in' on one specific person.
Rhyme
If the info is a must, no commas you shall trust.
Story
A detective is looking for a thief. He says, 'I need the man WHO has the red bag.' There are ten men, but only one has the red bag. The 'who' clause is the detective's tool to find the right person.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room. Pick three objects and describe them using 'that' or 'which' (e.g., 'The lamp that is on my desk is black').
Kulturelle Hinweise
American English speakers strongly prefer 'that' over 'which' for defining clauses. Using 'which' can sometimes sound overly formal or even British to American ears.
British English is more accepting of 'which' in defining clauses, though 'that' is still very common in speech.
In formal academic papers, 'whom' is still expected when the person is the object of the clause, whereas it has almost disappeared from spoken English.
Relative pronouns in English evolved from interrogative pronouns (who/which) and demonstrative pronouns (that).
Gesprächseinstiege
Tell me about a person who has influenced your life.
What is a gadget that you can't live without?
Describe the kind of house where you would like to live.
Think of a movie that made you cry. Why was it so sad?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
The person ___ helps me with tech is very patient.
Find and fix the mistake:
The film, that I saw, was fantastic.
Choose the correct sentence:
El restaurante que tiene la mejor pizza siempre está lleno.
Answer starts with: ["T...
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /5
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesThe woman ___ lives next door is a famous singer.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Find and fix the mistake:
The man who he called me is my boss.
I have a friend. Her father is a doctor.
You can use 'that' instead of 'who' for people in defining clauses.
A: Which book do you want? B: I want the one ___ is on the top shelf.
The movie that we saw last night was great.
1. The person... 2. The car... 3. The girl... 4. The house...
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesI read the article ___ was recommended by my professor.
The architect ___ designed this building won an award.
Is this the laptop ___ you want to buy?
The doctor which I saw was very kind.
The book, that was on the table, is mine.
Which sentence is correct?
Which sentence is correct?
El coche que está aparcado allí es nuevo.
No me gusta la gente que se queja mucho.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Put the words in the correct order:
Match the relative pronouns with their usual referents:
Match the sentence parts:
Score: /13
FAQ (8)
You can leave it out only if it is the **object** of the clause. For example, in 'The man [that] I saw', 'I' is the subject and 'that' is the object, so you can omit it. In 'The man who called', 'who' is the subject, so you must keep it.
Neither is 'better', but 'who' is more common in formal writing, while 'that' is very common in everyday speech.
No, 'which' is strictly for things and animals. For people, use 'who' or 'that'.
Commas in English indicate that the information is 'extra'. In defining clauses, the information is essential to identify the noun, so we don't use commas.
'Who' is for subjects and 'whom' is for objects. However, 'whom' is very formal and rarely used in spoken English today.
Yes! You can say 'The tree whose leaves are falling' instead of the more clunky 'The tree of which the leaves are falling'.
In American English, 'that' is preferred for defining clauses. In British English, both 'that' and 'which' are used frequently.
Yes, 'where' is much more natural in conversation. 'The house where I live' is better than 'The house in which I live'.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que
English has different pronouns for people vs. things, whereas Spanish often uses 'que' for both.
qui / que
French never omits the relative pronoun, while English often does.
der / die / das
German relative clauses always require commas, even if they are defining.
None (Adnominal clause)
Japanese uses word order instead of pronouns like 'who' or 'which'.
al-ladhi (الذي)
English does not use resumptive pronouns (e.g., we don't say 'the man who I saw him').
de (的)
The relative clause precedes the noun in Chinese but follows it in English.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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