Weglassen von Relativpronomen (die 'that'-Abkürzung)
that weglässt, wenn es das Objekt deines Relativsatzes ist. Ganz easy!
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
You can often delete 'that', 'who', or 'which' if they are the object of the following verb.
- Drop it if a new subject follows: 'The movie (that) I saw' is perfect.
- Keep it if it acts as the subject: 'The man who lives here' (cannot drop).
- Keep it in non-defining clauses (extra info with commas): 'My car, which is blue, is old.'
Overview
The coffee I bought is cold oder The person I met was nice.that, which oder who – oft als „The That Shortcut“ oder fachsprachlich als „Zero Relative Pronoun“ bezeichnet – ist eines der effizientesten Werkzeuge der englischen Sprache. Es hilft dir dabei, flüssiger, natürlicher und weniger wie ein Lehrbuch zu klingen. Für uns Deutsche ist das anfangs oft gewöhnungsbedürftig, weil unsere Grammatik uns darauf trimmt, jeden Bezug mit einem der, die oder das (oder welcher, welche, welches) explizit zu markieren.The project (that) we finished yesterday was successful.- 1Hauptsatz:
The project was successful. - 2Relativsatz:
(that) we finished yesterday.
we das Subjekt (wer hat etwas getan?). finished ist das Verb (was wurde getan?). Das Relativpronomen that bezieht sich auf the project.we) bereits im Relativsatz vorhanden ist, weiß der Hörer sofort, wer die Handlung ausführt. Das that wird dadurch zur optionalen Information.The colleague who helped me is very kind.who das Subjekt von helped. Wenn du who weglassen würdest, hieße der Satz: The colleague helped me is very kind. Das ergibt im Englischen keinen Sinn, da dem Verb helped plötzlich sein Subjekt fehlt. Es klingt abgehackt und ist grammatikalisch falsch.I, you, he, we), ist die Abkürzung fast immer möglich.The book that I read. | The book I read. | Objekt (Weglassen OK) |The people who we met. | The people we met. | Objekt (Weglassen OK) |The car that broke down. | (Nicht möglich!) | Subjekt (Weglassen NICHT OK) |- Wenn ja (z.B.
I,you,my boss,the customer), dann kannst du dasthatmeistens streichen. - Wenn nein, und das Relativpronomen direkt vor dem Verb steht, muss es bleiben.
- Im Büro:
- Vollständig:
The report that you sent me is very detailed. - Shortcut:
The report you sent me is very detailed. - *Warum?*
youist das Subjekt.
- An der Universität:
- Vollständig:
The sources which the professor cited are in the library. - Shortcut:
The sources the professor cited are in the library. - *Warum?*
the professorist das Subjekt.
- Beim Einkaufen:
- Vollständig:
The shoes that I wanted are sold out. - Shortcut:
The shoes I wanted are sold out. - *Warum?*
Iist das Subjekt.
that als Objekt, aber es gibt klare Tendenzen.The movie we saw was great.(Klingt wie ein Muttersprachler beim Bier nach der Arbeit.)The movie that we saw was great.(Klingt etwas förmlicher, fast wie eine offizielle Rezension.)
Please review the files I attached.Let me know the time you prefer for the meeting.
- Formell:
The house in which I live. - Natürlich:
The house I live in.
- In sehr formellen Dokumenten: Bei juristischen Verträgen, akademischen Abschlussarbeiten oder hochoffiziellen Reden bleibt das
thatoderwhichoft stehen, um maximale Klarheit zu gewährleisten und den feierlichen Ton zu wahren. - Bei nicht-definierenden Relativsätzen (Non-defining Relative Clauses): Das sind Sätze, die nur Zusatzinformationen geben und zwischen Kommas stehen. Hier darfst du das Pronomen niemals weglassen.
- Richtig:
My brother, who you met yesterday, is moving to London. - Falsch:
My brother, you met yesterday, is moving to London. - *Merke:* Wenn Kommas da sind, bleibt das Pronomen stehen!
- Falsch:
The man lives next door is a doctor. - Warum dieser Fehler passiert: Man möchte „effizient“ sein und vergisst, dass
livesein Subjekt braucht. Im Deutschen sagen wir: „Der Mann, der nebenan wohnt...“. Ohne das „der“ bricht die Logik zusammen. - Richtig:
The man who lives next door is a doctor.
that, which und who akribisch auszusprechen. Das liegt daran, dass wir im Deutschen gelernt haben, dass Relativpronomen für die Satzstruktur überlebenswichtig sind.- Problem: Du klingst hölzern. Wenn du in einer Bar sagst:
The drink that I ordered has not arrived yet, ist das korrekt, aberThe drink I ordered hasn't arrivedklingt viel souveräner. - Lösung: Trau dich! Wenn du ein Subjekt nach dem Nomen siehst, lass das
thatweg. Es fühlt sich anfangs „nackt“ an, ist aber absolut britisches/amerikanisches Standard-Englisch.
whosewhose (dessen/deren) zeigt Besitz an. Dieses darf niemals weglassen werden, da sonst der Besitzbezug völlig verloren geht.- Falsch:
The colleague desk is next to mine is nice. - Richtig:
The colleague whose desk is next to mine is nice.
The bike (that) I bought is blue. | My bike, which I bought in Berlin, is blue. |that vs. which/who. In identifizierenden Relativsätzen (ohne Komma) ist that der Allrounder.that benutzt – oder eben gar nichts. Which und who wirken in diesen Sätzen oft schon eine Stufe förmlicher. Wenn du also den Shortcut nutzt, überspringst du meistens ein gedachtes that.who weglassen, wenn es um Personen geht?who (oder das formellere whom) weglassen.The girl (who) I saw at the station. -> The girl I saw at the station. Das ist völlig natürlich.that fehlt?Nomen + Nomen/Pronomen + Verb. Wenn du siehst: The cake (Nomen) + my mum (Nomen) + baked (Verb), dann ist klar: Das ist ein Relativsatz. The cake my mum baked... – In deinem Kopf kannst du ein „den/die/das“ einfügen, um es zu prüfen.The progress you make will be worth it!When to Drop vs. When to Keep
| Type | Relative Pronoun Role | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Defining
|
Object
|
Can Drop
|
The car (that) I bought.
|
|
Defining
|
Subject
|
Must Keep
|
The car that hit me.
|
|
Non-Defining
|
Object
|
Must Keep
|
My car, which I bought last year, is red.
|
|
Non-Defining
|
Subject
|
Must Keep
|
My car, which was expensive, is red.
|
Meanings
In English, relative pronouns (who, whom, which, that) can be omitted in defining relative clauses when they function as the object of the clause, making the sentence more concise and natural in speech.
Object Omission
Dropping the pronoun when it represents the person or thing receiving the action in the relative clause.
“The person (who) I met was nice.”
“The book (which) she wrote is a bestseller.”
Prepositional Omission
Dropping the pronoun when it is the object of a preposition, usually moving the preposition to the end of the clause.
“The house (that) we live in is small.”
“The girl (who) I was talking to is my sister.”
Formal Retention
Keeping the pronoun to sound more precise, professional, or academic.
“The individuals whom we interviewed were highly qualified.”
“The data that the study produced is significant.”
Reference Table
| Rolle des Relativpronomens | Beispiel (mit Pronomen) | Beispiel (Pronomen weggelassen) | Weglassbar? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Objekt (des Verbs)
|
The car that I bought is red.
|
The car I bought is red.
|
Ja
|
|
Objekt (des Verbs)
|
The friend whom I met yesterday is kind.
|
The friend I met yesterday is kind.
|
Ja (für 'whom')
|
|
Objekt (des Verbs)
|
The book which you recommended was great.
|
The book you recommended was great.
|
Ja
|
|
Subjekt (des Verbs)
|
The dog that barked is friendly.
|
🚫 Falsch: The dog barked is friendly.
|
Nein
|
|
Subjekt (des Verbs)
|
The person who called me was polite.
|
🚫 Falsch: The person called me was polite.
|
Nein
|
|
Subjekt (des Verbs)
|
The train which arrived late caused delays.
|
🚫 Falsch: The train arrived late caused delays.
|
Nein
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Is this the document to which you were referring? (Workplace/Office)
Is this the document that you were talking about? (Workplace/Office)
Is this the document you were talking about? (Workplace/Office)
This the one you meant? (Workplace/Office)
Relativpronomen weglassen
Wann weglassen (Objekt)
- The book I read The book (that) I read.
- The friend you met The friend (whom/that) you met.
- The movie we watched The movie (that/which) we watched.
Wann NICHT weglassen (Subjekt)
- The dog that barked The dog (that) barked all night.
- The person who called The person (who) called me.
- The app which crashed The app (which) crashed.
Warum es nützlich ist
- Klingt natürlich Ahmt Muster von Muttersprachlern nach.
- Prägnanz Kürzere, direktere Sätze.
- Informelle Kontexte Häufig in Alltagssprache, Textnachrichten.
Relativpronomen: Subjekt vs. Objekt
Kann ich 'That' weglassen?
Ist 'that' (oder 'who'/'which') Teil eines definierenden Relativsatzes (keine Kommas)?
Ist das Wort *direkt nach* 'that' (oder 'who'/'which') ein anderes Subjekt (wie 'I', 'you', ein Nomen usw.)?
Kontexte zum Weglassen von 'That'
Informeller Alltag
- • Textnachrichten
- • Lockere Gespräche
- • Social Media Bildunterschriften
- • Gaming-Chats
Medien & Inhalte
- • Film-/TV-Untertitel
- • Blogbeiträge
- • Podcast-Skripte (locker)
- • Liedtexte
Beruflich (manchmal)
- • Informelle E-Mails
- • Projektdiskussionen
- • Besprechungsnotizen (prägnant)
- • Technische Dokumentation
Beispiele nach Niveau
The book I have is red.
The book (that) I have is red.
The man I see is tall.
The man (who) I see is tall.
The apple you eat is sweet.
The apple (that) you eat is sweet.
The car he drives is fast.
The car (that) he drives is fast.
The phone I bought yesterday is broken.
The phone (that) I bought...
Is this the song you like?
Is this the song (that) you like?
The people we met were very friendly.
The people (who) we met...
I lost the pen you gave me.
I lost the pen (that) you gave me.
The hotel we stayed at was beautiful.
The hotel (that) we stayed at...
The reason I called is to ask for help.
The reason (why/that) I called...
The doctor I talked to was very helpful.
The doctor (who) I talked to...
Everything you said is true.
Everything (that) you said...
The challenges we face are significant.
The challenges (that) we face...
The candidate I voted for didn't win.
The candidate (whom) I voted for...
The apartment they're looking at is too expensive.
The apartment (that) they're looking at...
The advice she's giving you is quite sound.
The advice (that) she's giving you...
The assumptions the author makes are questionable.
The assumptions (that) the author makes...
The speed with which he works is impressive.
Note: Cannot drop 'which' here because the preposition is at the front.
The ease I felt during the presentation surprised me.
The ease (that) I felt...
The level of detail the report provides is sufficient.
The level of detail (that) the report provides...
The sheer audacity the plan required was its undoing.
The audacity (that) the plan required...
Any concerns you might have should be addressed now.
Any concerns (that) you might have...
The nuanced approach the team took saved the project.
The approach (that) the team took...
The very fabric the universe is made of remains a mystery.
The fabric (that) the universe is made of...
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often try to drop the pronoun even when it's the subject of the clause.
Learners confuse 'that' in 'I know that he is coming' with 'that' in 'The book that I bought'.
Learners try to drop pronouns in clauses with commas.
Häufige Fehler
The girl lives here is my friend.
The girl who lives here is my friend.
The book I like it.
The book I like.
I see man I know.
I see the man I know.
The car that I bought it is blue.
The car I bought is blue.
The man I talked is nice.
The man I talked to is nice.
This is the house which we live.
This is the house we live in.
The movie was good I saw.
The movie I saw was good.
My mother, I love, is a teacher.
My mother, whom I love, is a teacher.
The reason why I'm here for is...
The reason I'm here is...
The person who I gave the book is gone.
The person I gave the book to is gone.
The speed I drove at was safe.
The speed at which I drove was safe.
The way in that he spoke was odd.
The way he spoke was odd.
Satzmuster
The ___ I ___ is ___.
Is this the ___ you ___?
I've never seen the ___ she ___.
The ___ we're ___ is ___.
Real World Usage
The link I sent you is dead.
The skills I developed at Google are relevant here.
Is this the pizza I ordered?
The data that the researchers collected was flawed.
Best day I've had in a while!
The property which the tenant occupies...
Finde das versteckte Subjekt
This is the car I bought.
Lass den 'Täter' nicht weg!
The student aced the exam.Hier ist 'student' das Subjekt. Wenn du aber sagst:
The student that aced the exam..., dann ist 'that' das Subjekt und muss bleiben.
Hör den Muttersprachlern zu
Klingt authentisch
The food I ordered was delicious.
Smart Tips
This is a 99% signal that you can drop the relative pronoun.
Keep the 'that'. It makes your writing look more organized and professional.
Try to put the noun at the end of the clause. If it fits, it's an object! (e.g., 'The book I read' -> 'I read the book' - Works!)
Native speakers almost ALWAYS drop 'that' after these words.
Aussprache
Rhythm and Stress
When the pronoun is dropped, the stress falls more heavily on the noun and the following subject, creating a faster, more rhythmic 'da-DA da-DA' sound.
Glottal Stop
In some British dialects, if 'that' is kept, the 't' might be replaced by a glottal stop, but dropping it entirely is often preferred for flow.
Rising-Falling
The cake ↗ I made ↘ was good.
Standard declarative statement with a dropped pronoun.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
If a Noun or Pronoun is next in line, dropping 'that' is totally fine!
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a bridge (the word 'that') connecting two islands. If the islands are close enough to touch (Noun + Pronoun), you can remove the bridge and just step across.
Rhyme
When 'that' is the object, don't be a fool, dropping it out is the golden rule.
Story
A busy businessman is running to a meeting. He doesn't have time for extra words. He says 'The report I wrote' instead of 'The report that I wrote' because he is in a hurry. He only keeps 'who' when he talks about 'The man who hired me' because without 'who', the sentence falls apart.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look at the last 5 text messages you sent. Could you have dropped a 'that' or 'who' in any of them? Rewrite them in your head.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Americans are very likely to drop 'that' in almost all informal and semi-formal speech. Keeping it can sometimes sound slightly 'stiff' or overly emphatic.
While also common, some formal British registers still prefer keeping 'that' or 'which' in written correspondence more than American English does.
In scientific papers globally, keeping the relative pronoun is preferred to ensure there is no ambiguity about what the subject of the sentence is.
In Old English, relative clauses were often formed with the indeclinable particle 'þe'. Over time, 'that' (from the demonstrative 'þæt') took over.
Gesprächseinstiege
What's the best movie you've seen this year?
Tell me about a person you admire.
Is there a place you've always wanted to visit?
What's the most difficult thing you've ever done?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
This is the gift ___ my friend gave me.
Find and fix the mistake:
The person stole my wallet ran away.
Wähle den richtigen Satz:
Übersetze ins Englische: 'El coche que compré está en el garaje.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
Score: /4
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesThe man who I saw yesterday is a doctor.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car I bought it is very fast.
The woman ___ lives next door is a pilot.
I liked the movie. You recommended it.
1. The man I saw. 2. The man whom I saw. 3. The man that I saw.
You can drop the relative pronoun in a non-defining relative clause (with commas).
A: Is this the book you were looking for? B: Yes, it's the one ___.
A: The girl who is singing. B: The song she is singing.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe concert ___ we saw last night was incredible.
This is the phone ___ has the best camera.
The email arrived this morning contained important news.
Welcher Satz ist richtig?
Übersetze ins Englische: 'El problema que resolvimos era muy complejo.'
Ordne diese Wörter zu einem Satz an:
Ordne die Satzteile zu:
She's the only student ___ understood the complex theory.
The solution proposed by the team was innovative.
Wähle den richtigen Satz:
Übersetze: 'La información que necesito está en ese documento.'
Bringe die Wörter in die richtige Reihenfolge:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No. You can only drop it in defining relative clauses when it is the object. You cannot drop it if it's the subject or in a non-defining clause.
Never! Keeping the pronoun is always grammatically correct. Dropping it is just a way to sound more natural and less formal.
Yes, if 'who' is the object (e.g., 'The man I met'), you can drop it. However, many people prefer to keep 'who' more often than 'that'.
No. You can never drop 'whose' because it shows possession and the sentence would lose its meaning without it.
For writing, it's often better to keep it to show clear structure. For the speaking test, dropping it can help you sound more fluent and natural.
The preposition moves to the end of the relative clause. For example: 'The house (that) I live in'.
English tends toward 'economy of language'. If a word doesn't add new meaning and the sentence is clear without it, we usually remove it.
You can often drop 'when' (The day I met you), but dropping 'where' is much rarer and usually requires adding a preposition (The place I live in).
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que
Spanish never allows the omission of the relative pronoun.
que / qui
French relative pronouns are strictly mandatory.
der / die / das
German pronouns are inflected and mandatory.
Attributive form
Japanese uses word order instead of pronouns to link ideas.
aladhi (الذي)
Omission depends on the definiteness of the noun, not its role as subject/object.
de (的)
Chinese uses a post-positional linker rather than a relative pronoun.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Verwandte Videos
05:20 Are there really dead wasps in figs? - Carolyn Beans
08:24 Many Crystals Take Millions of Years to Form, Not These
08:10 Drumstick Sundae Jars | Food Wishes
RELATIVE PRONOUNS | RELATIVE CLAUSES | ADJECTIVE CLAUSES - who, which, that, whose, whom
Arnel's Everyday English
Relative Clauses - English Grammar Lesson (Upper Intermediate)
Maltalingua English Language School
Reduced Relative Clauses - Defining and Non- Defining Relative Clauses - Advanced Grammar Lesson
Oxford English Now
Related Grammar Rules
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Formelle Relativsätze (in welchem, wem)
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