Relativsätze: Bestimmend vs. Nicht-bestimmend (Meaning Difference)
specific noun), nicht-definierende Sätze geben einfach bonus details mit Kommas und which oder who.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Defining clauses identify exactly who/what you mean; non-defining clauses just add extra details using commas.
- Defining: No commas, 'that' is okay, essential for meaning. Example: 'The car that I bought is red.'
- Non-Defining: Use commas, 'that' is NOT okay, extra info only. Example: 'My car, which is red, is fast.'
- Omission: In defining clauses, you can drop 'who/which/that' if it's the object. Example: 'The book (that) I read.'
Overview
The cat that is white is so moody, benutzt er einen bestimmenden Relativsatz (defining relative clause). Warum? Weil du ohne den Teil that is white nicht wüsstest, welche Katze er meint!My cat, which is white, is so moody, ist das ein nicht-bestimmender Relativsatz (non-defining relative clause). Dass die Katze weiß ist, ist nur ein zusätzliches Detail.How This Grammar Works
The movie that we watched last night was awesome, ist der Satz that we watched last night der Laserpointer. Er sagt dir genau, welchen Film ich meine. Wenn ich ihn weglasse und nur sage The movie was awesome, würdest du fragen: „Welcher Film, Alter?Inception, which we watched last night, was awesome, weißt du bereits, dass der Film *Inception* heißt.Inception was awesome immer noch absolut Sinn.My girlfriend who lives in London is coming to visit impliziert, dass du noch andere Freundinnen in anderen Städten hast (riskantes Spiel!), während My girlfriend, who lives in London, is coming to visit uns einfach verrät, wo deine Einzige wohnt.
Formation Pattern
the laptop, my boss).
who oder that (bestimmend) oder *nur* who (nicht-bestimmend).
which oder that (bestimmend) oder *nur* which (nicht-bestimmend).
that ein Stubenhocker ist. Es lebt nur in bestimmenden Sätzen. Es geht niemals in nicht-bestimmende Sätze.
The phone [that] I bought), wenn danach ein anderes Subjekt folgt (wie I, you, we). In nicht-bestimmenden Sätzen ist das Pronomen Pflicht. Es ist der VIP, der die Party niemals verlässt.
When To Use It
I want the burger that has no onions, ist dieser Satzteil zu 100 % notwendig.The hotel that we stayed at was trash, oder um sich über Technik zu beschweren: The update that I downloaded broke my phone.Sarah, who has ten years of experience in marketing, joined our team. Du weißt bereits, dass es Sarah ist.Paris) oder eine eindeutige Beziehung (my mother). Wenn du über einen Promi klatschst, sagst du: Taylor Swift, who is currently on tour, just released a new album. Wir wissen, wer Taylor ist; die Tour-Info ist nur ein „übrigens“.
Common Mistakes
- Das Komma-Drama: Kommas in einem nicht-bestimmenden Satz zu vergessen, ist der Fehler Nr. 1.
My dad who is a doctor lives in Berlinzu schreiben, lässt vermuten, dass du mehrere Väter hast und gerade den medizinischen identifizierst. Außer du hast eine sehr moderne Familiendynamik, brauchst du wahrscheinlich diese Kommas:My dad, who is a doctor, lives in Berlin. - Die 'That'-Falle:
thatin einem nicht-bestimmenden Satz benutzen. Du kannst nicht sagen:✗ Paris, that I love, is beautiful.Das klingt wie ein Fehler in der Matrix. Nutze stattdessenwhich:✓ Paris, which I love, is beautiful. - Die 'Who'-Verwirrung: Manchmal nutzen Leute
whichfür Personen. Tu das nicht!✗ The guy which lives next doorist ein absolutes No-Go. Es heißt✓ The guy who lives next door. - Doppelte Subjekte: Ein extra Pronomen nach dem Relativsatz hinzufügen.
✗ The car that I bought it is fast.Du brauchst dasitnicht! Das Relativpronomenthatübernimmt bereits den Job des Objekts. Halt es kurz:✓ The car that I bought is fast. - Lösch-Wahn: Versuchen, das Pronomen in einem nicht-bestimmenden Satz zu löschen.
✗ My brother, lives in Tokyo, is a chef.Du brauchst daswho, um die Lücke zu füllen:✓ My brother, who lives in Tokyo, is a chef.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
My friend, a professional gamer, is rich. Das ist sehr ähnlich zu My friend, who is a professional gamer, is rich.is), während die Apposition nur eine Nominalphrase nutzt. Beide werden für 'Zusatzinfos' genutzt und beide lieben Kommas.The girl who is sitting over there, kannst du einfach sagen The girl sitting over there. Das ist eine fortgeschrittenere, 'coolere' Art zu sprechen, die dich sehr wie ein Muttersprachler klingen lässt.I know what you did. Ein Relativsatz beschreibt ein Nomen, wie I know the person who did it.Quick FAQ
F: Kann ich which in einem bestimmenden Relativsatz nutzen?
Ja, das kannst du! The car which I bought ist völlig okay, obwohl that in der Alltagssprache üblicher ist. Nutze nur niemals that in einem nicht-bestimmenden Satz.
F: Ist es okay, who oder that wegzulassen?
Nur in bestimmenden Sätzen und nur, wenn danach ein anderes Subjekt folgt. The man [who] I saw ist okay. The man who saw me nicht – da brauchst du das who, weil es das Subjekt ist.
F: Warum brauche ich Kommas bei Namen?
Weil Namen die Person bereits identifizieren. Wenn du John sagst, wissen wir, wer John ist. Jede Info danach ist automatisch 'extra', also braucht sie Kommas.
F: Verändert das den Ton meines Schreibens?
Absolut. Nicht-bestimmende Sätze lassen dich detaillierter und anspruchsvoller klingen. Bestimmende Sätze lassen dich direkt und klar wirken. Sie richtig zu benutzen zeigt, dass du über das 'Basis-Englisch' hinaus bist.
F: Was, wenn ich zwei Schwestern habe?
Wenn du über diejenige sprechen willst, die in Spanien lebt, sag My sister who lives in Spain. Ohne Kommas! Das sagt dem Hörer, dass du eine Schwester aus den zweien auswählst. Magisch, oder?
Relative Pronoun Selection
| Function | For People | For Things | For Places/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Subject
|
who / that
|
which / that
|
N/A
|
|
Object
|
who / whom / that / (ø)
|
which / that / (ø)
|
where / when
|
|
Possessive
|
whose
|
whose / of which
|
N/A
|
Pronoun Omission (Defining Only)
| Full Form | Short Form (Omitted) | Condition |
|---|---|---|
|
The man who I met
|
The man I met
|
Pronoun is the Object
|
|
The book that you read
|
The book you read
|
Pronoun is the Object
|
|
The man who lives here
|
NOT POSSIBLE
|
Pronoun is the Subject
|
Meanings
Relative clauses provide more information about a noun. Defining clauses limit the noun to a specific one, while non-defining clauses provide supplementary details about a noun already identified.
Defining (Restrictive)
Tells us which specific person or thing we are talking about. Without it, the sentence is incomplete or unclear.
“The students who studied hard passed the exam.”
“I'm looking for the keys that I left on the table.”
Non-Defining (Non-Restrictive)
Adds extra information about a noun we already know. The sentence still makes sense if you remove this clause.
“My brother, who lives in New York, is a chef.”
“The Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889, is in Paris.”
Object Pronoun Omission
In defining clauses, if the relative pronoun is the object of the verb, it can be deleted.
“The movie (that) we watched was boring.”
“The person (who) I called didn't answer.”
Reference Table
| Merkmal | Definierender Relativsatz | Nicht-definierender Relativsatz |
|---|---|---|
|
Zweck
|
Das Nomen identifizieren
|
Zusatzinformation geben
|
|
Kommas
|
Keine Kommas verwendet
|
Immer mit Kommas
|
|
Kann 'that' verwendet werden?
|
Ja (sehr häufig)
|
Nein (niemals!)
|
|
Pronomen weglassbar?
|
Ja (wenn Objekt)
|
Nein (niemals)
|
|
Beispiel
|
The car that I like...
|
My car, which I like,...
|
|
Bedeutung bei Weglassen
|
Satz wird unklar
|
Satz bleibt klar
|
Formalitätsspektrum
The colleague with whom I collaborated on the project is absent. (Workplace)
The colleague who I worked with on the project is away. (Workplace)
The guy I worked with is out. (Workplace)
My project partner's ghosting today. (Workplace)
Relativsätze: Der Identitätstest
Definierend (Essenziell)
- Keine Kommas Identifikation
- Verwendet 'That' Umgangssprachlich/Alltäglich
Nicht-definierend (Extra)
- Hat Kommas Bonus-Detail
- Kein 'That' Strikte Regel
Definierend vs. Nicht-definierend
Komma oder kein Komma?
Ergibt der Satz immer noch Sinn, wenn du den Relativsatz weglässt?
Ist das Nomen ein spezifischer Name oder eine einzigartige Sache (wie 'Paris')?
Grenzen der Pronomenverwendung
Sicher für beide
- • Who (für Personen)
- • Which (für Sachen)
- • Whose
- • Where
NUR definierend
- • That
- • Weglassung (Nullpronomen)
Beispiele nach Niveau
The boy who is happy is my brother.
The boy who is happy is my brother.
I have a dog that is big.
I have a dog that is big.
This is the book that I want.
This is the book that I want.
The girl who lives here is nice.
The girl who lives here is nice.
The car which he bought is blue.
The car which he bought is blue.
The man (who) I saw yesterday was tall.
The man (who) I saw yesterday was tall.
I like the city where I was born.
I like the city where I was born.
She is the teacher who helps me.
She is the teacher who helps me.
My sister, who lives in Rome, is a lawyer.
My sister, who lives in Rome, is a lawyer.
The laptop that I use for work is broken.
The laptop that I use for work is broken.
London, which is the capital of the UK, is huge.
London, which is the capital of the UK, is huge.
The man whose car was stolen is very angry.
The man whose car was stolen is very angry.
The company, which was founded in 1920, is closing.
The company, which was founded in 1920, is closing.
He failed his driving test, which was a surprise.
He failed his driving test, which was a surprise.
The candidate for whom I voted didn't win.
The candidate for whom I voted didn't win.
Is that the reason why you were late?
Is that the reason why you were late?
The building, the roof of which was damaged, is old.
The building, the roof of which was damaged, is old.
Anyone wishing to leave early may do so.
Anyone wishing to leave early may do so.
The method by which they achieved this is unknown.
The method by which they achieved this is unknown.
The town, where many artists live, is very vibrant.
The town, where many artists live, is very vibrant.
The project, the success of which remains to be seen, is costly.
The project, the success of which remains to be seen, is costly.
He was late, as is often the case with him.
He was late, as is often the case with him.
Whosoever finds the key shall be rewarded.
Whosoever finds the key shall be rewarded.
The situation, albeit difficult, is not hopeless.
The situation, albeit difficult, is not hopeless.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often use them interchangeably in all contexts.
Learners aren't sure when to use the object form 'whom'.
Both describe nouns but use different structures.
Häufige Fehler
The man which lives here.
The man who lives here.
I like the book what you gave me.
I like the book that you gave me.
The girl she lives next door is nice.
The girl who lives next door is nice.
I saw the man who he is a doctor.
I saw the man who is a doctor.
The house that I live is small.
The house where I live is small.
This is the man who's car is red.
This is the man whose car is red.
The movie who I saw was good.
The movie that I saw was good.
My mother, that is 50, is a nurse.
My mother, who is 50, is a nurse.
Paris which is in France is beautiful.
Paris, which is in France, is beautiful.
The man, who I met him, was nice.
The man, who I met, was nice.
The car, that's engine is broken, is mine.
The car, whose engine is broken, is mine.
Satzmuster
The ___ who ___ is ___.
___, which is ___, is ___.
The ___ (that) I ___ was ___.
The person whose ___ is ___.
Real World Usage
My bestie, who is literally the cutest, just graduated!
I am looking for a role that allows me to use my coding skills.
The suspect, who was arrested late last night, is being questioned.
Did you find the keys I lost?
The theory, which was first proposed in 1990, remains controversial.
Take the train that goes toward the city center.
Der "Zeigefinger"-Trick
THAT one!Vermeide 'That' nach Kommas
It’s like wearing socks with sandals.
Auf die Formalität kommt es an
Which is for your fancy essays.
Smart Tips
Always use a non-defining clause with commas. Proper nouns are already specific, so any extra info is just 'extra'.
Use 'whom' after prepositions like 'to', 'with', or 'for'.
Check if there is another subject immediately after it. If there is, you can usually delete it.
Use ', which' at the end of the sentence.
Aussprache
The Comma Pause
In non-defining clauses, there is a slight drop in pitch and a brief pause where the commas are.
Relative Pronoun Reduction
In fast speech, 'that' is often pronounced with a schwa /ðət/.
Non-defining Parenthetical
My car, (which is red), is fast.
The pitch goes down for the clause and back up for the main verb.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Defining is 'Determining' (no commas needed), Non-defining is 'Needless' (needs commas).
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a defining clause as a wedding ring—it's essential and stays on the finger. Imagine a non-defining clause as a bracelet—it's extra, and you can take it off (the commas are the clasps).
Rhyme
If it's extra, use a comma. If it's needed, save the drama.
Story
A detective is looking for 'the man who stole the diamond' (Defining). Once he catches him, he says, 'This man, who is wearing a red hat, is the thief' (Non-defining).
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look at 5 objects in your room. Write one defining and one non-defining sentence for each.
Kulturelle Hinweise
British speakers are slightly more likely to use 'which' in defining clauses than American speakers, who strictly prefer 'that'.
Using 'whom' is almost exclusively reserved for formal writing or very formal speeches. Using it in casual conversation can sound pretentious.
In some dialects, 'that' is used for people more frequently than 'who' in informal speech.
Relative pronouns in English evolved from demonstrative and interrogative pronouns in Old English ('se', 'seo', 'þæt').
Gesprächseinstiege
Tell me about a person who has influenced your life.
Describe your hometown, which I've never visited.
What's a movie that you've seen more than three times?
Think of a famous person whom you admire.
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Choose the correct sentence:
Tokyo, ___ is the capital of Japan, is a huge city.
Find and fix the mistake:
Mr. Smith that is my teacher is very kind.
Score: /3
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesMy brother, ___ lives in Spain, is visiting next week.
The woman ___ car was stolen called the police.
Find and fix the mistake:
The laptop, that I bought yesterday, is very fast.
I have a friend. He speaks five languages.
Match types
The cake that I ate was delicious.
The man who lives here is nice.
This is the park ___ we first met.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesThe phone ___ I bought yesterday is broken.
Which one is right?
Paris / is / which / beautiful / I / visited / , / ,
The girl which lives next door is nice.
Kucing yang sedang tidur itu milikku.
Match the items:
My mother, ___ is 60, still runs marathons.
Which sentence identifies a specific thing?
The man who is standing there is my uncle.
The company, ___ headquarters are in London, is hiring.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Use a comma if the information is 'extra'. If the sentence still makes sense without it, add commas. If the info is needed to know which noun you mean, no commas.
In defining clauses, yes (e.g., 'The man that I saw'). In non-defining clauses, no—you must use 'who'.
'Who' is for subjects (the person doing the action). 'Whom' is for objects (the person receiving the action). 'Whom' is mostly used in formal writing.
No. You can only drop it in defining clauses when it is the object of the sentence (e.g., 'The book I read'). You cannot drop it if it is the subject (e.g., 'The book that is on the table').
In defining clauses, 'which' can sound slightly more formal than 'that', especially in British English. In non-defining clauses, 'which' is the only option for things.
Yes! It is perfectly natural to say 'The car whose engine is broken' instead of the more clunky 'The car the engine of which is broken'.
This is a standard rule of English grammar. 'That' is considered a restrictive pronoun, meaning its job is to limit or define. Non-defining clauses don't limit, so 'that' doesn't fit.
It might change the meaning! 'My brother who is a doctor' implies you have multiple brothers and you're talking about the doctor one. 'My brother, who is a doctor,' implies you have one brother and he happens to be a doctor.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que / quien / el cual
English distinguishes between 'that' and 'which' based on commas; Spanish uses 'que' for both.
qui / que / lequel
French relative pronouns are determined by grammatical function (subject/object), not by the 'essentialness' of the info.
der / die / das
German requires commas for every relative clause, whereas English only uses them for non-defining ones.
Pre-nominal modifiers
Japanese uses word order (clause + noun) instead of pronouns (noun + who/which).
al-ladhi (الذي)
Arabic requires a pronoun like 'him' or 'it' inside the clause (e.g., 'the man who I saw him').
de (的)
Chinese places the description before the noun, while English places it after.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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