Non-Restrictive Relative Clauses (with commas)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use commas to add 'bonus' information about a noun without changing the sentence's core meaning.
- Always use commas before and after the clause: 'Moj brat, koji živi u Zagrebu, je doktor.'
- The pronoun 'koji' must match the noun's gender and number.
- If you can remove the clause and the sentence still makes sense, use commas.
Declension of the Relative Pronoun 'koji'
| Case | Masculine (Sing.) | Feminine (Sing.) | Neuter (Sing.) | Plural (M/F/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nominative
|
koji
|
koja
|
koje
|
koji / koje / koja
|
|
Genitive
|
kojeg(a)
|
koje
|
kojeg(a)
|
kojih
|
|
Dative
|
kojem(u)
|
kojoj
|
kojem(u)
|
kojima
|
|
Accusative
|
kojeg(a) / koji
|
koju
|
koje
|
koje / koja
|
|
Vocative
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Locative
|
kojem(u)
|
kojoj
|
kojem(u)
|
kojima
|
|
Instrumental
|
kojim
|
kojom
|
kojim
|
kojima
|
Meanings
A non-restrictive relative clause provides additional, non-essential information about a noun that is already clearly identified. In Croatian, these are strictly separated by commas.
Descriptive Addition
Adding a detail to a unique noun (proper names, specific people).
“Luka Modrić, koji igra za Real Madrid, kapetan je reprezentacije.”
“Moja majka, koja me uvijek podržava, danas slavi rođendan.”
Sentential Relative
Using 'što' to comment on the entire preceding action or sentence.
“Pobijedili smo, što nas je sve iznenadilo.”
“Zaboravio je ključeve, što se često događa.”
Formal Specification
Using 'koji' in legal or academic texts to provide exhaustive definitions.
“Ovaj ugovor, koji stupa na snagu sutra, obvezuje obje strane.”
“Zakon, koji je donesen prošle godine, mora se poštovati.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Subject (M)
|
Noun (M), koji + verb, ...
|
Moj otac, koji je kuhar, radi.
|
|
Subject (F)
|
Noun (F), koja + verb, ...
|
Moja sestra, koja pjeva, je tu.
|
|
Object (Acc)
|
Noun, kojeg/koju + subject + verb, ...
|
Film, kojeg sam gledao, je dug.
|
|
Possessive
|
Noun, čiji/čija/čije + noun, ...
|
Susjed, čiji je pas pobjegao, je tužan.
|
|
Prepositional
|
Noun, prep. + kojem/kojoj, ...
|
Grad, u kojem živim, je velik.
|
|
Sentential
|
Sentence, što + verb, ...
|
Pao je snijeg, što nas veseli.
|
|
Negative
|
Noun, koji + ne + verb, ...
|
Prijatelj, koji ne puši, je zdrav.
|
|
Plural
|
Nouns, koji/koje + verb, ...
|
Knjige, koje su na stolu, su moje.
|
Spectre de formalité
Moj brat, koji ima prebivalište u Zagrebu, dolazi u posjet. (Family update)
Moj brat, koji živi u Zagrebu, dolazi. (Family update)
Brat, onaj iz Zagreba, stiže. (Family update)
Brat moj, onaj zagrebački, uletava. (Family update)
The Anatomy of a Non-Restrictive Clause
Comma 1
- The 'Open' signal Starts the extra info
Relative Pronoun
- koji / koja / koje Links to the noun
Extra Info
- Bonus detail Non-essential fact
Comma 2
- The 'Close' signal Returns to main message
Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive
Exemples par niveau
Zagreb, koji je velik, je u Hrvatskoj.
Zagreb, which is big, is in Croatia.
Ana, koja je moja prijateljica, je ovdje.
Ana, who is my friend, is here.
More, koje je plavo, je toplo.
The sea, which is blue, is warm.
Moji psi, koji su mali, spavaju.
My dogs, which are small, are sleeping.
Moj brat, koji živi u Londonu, radi puno.
My brother, who lives in London, works a lot.
Ova kava, koja je hladna, nije dobra.
This coffee, which is cold, is not good.
Split, koji je na moru, jako je sunčan.
Split, which is on the sea, is very sunny.
Moja mama, koja ima 50 godina, voli plesati.
My mom, who is 50 years old, loves to dance.
Gospodin Horvat, kojeg sam jučer sreo, je moj susjed.
Mr. Horvat, whom I met yesterday, is my neighbor.
Ovaj auto, koji sam platio puno, stalno se kvari.
This car, which I paid a lot for, keeps breaking down.
Hrvatska obala, koja je predivna, privlači turiste.
The Croatian coast, which is beautiful, attracts tourists.
Moja sestra, kojoj sam posudio novac, još mi nije vratila.
My sister, to whom I lent money, hasn't returned it yet.
Naš novi direktor, o kojem smo pričali, dolazi sutra.
Our new director, about whom we talked, is coming tomorrow.
Izgubio je posao, što je bila velika tragedija za obitelj.
He lost his job, which was a great tragedy for the family.
Njegova teorija, koja se temelji na dokazima, vrlo je uvjerljiva.
His theory, which is based on evidence, is very convincing.
Ovaj grad, čija je povijest bogata, nudi mnogo muzeja.
This city, whose history is rich, offers many museums.
Odluka vlade, koja je naišla na oštre kritike, bit će povučena.
The government's decision, which met with sharp criticism, will be withdrawn.
On je stalno lagao, što je na kraju dovelo do prekida.
He lied constantly, which eventually led to the breakup.
Njegov najnoviji roman, u kojem istražuje temu izolacije, postao je hit.
His latest novel, in which he explores the theme of isolation, became a hit.
Projekt, čijem se završetku svi nadamo, kasni dva mjeseca.
The project, the completion of which we all hope for, is two months late.
Takva retorika, koja nipošto nije u skladu s demokratskim načelima, izaziva zabrinutost.
Such rhetoric, which is by no means in accordance with democratic principles, causes concern.
Cijela situacija, o čijim posljedicama možemo samo nagađati, vrlo je kompleksna.
The whole situation, about the consequences of which we can only speculate, is very complex.
Pjesnik, čije je djelo obilježilo epohu, umro je u siromaštvu.
The poet, whose work marked an epoch, died in poverty.
On je odbio suradnju, što se, s obzirom na okolnosti, moglo i očekivati.
He refused to cooperate, which, given the circumstances, could have been expected.
Facile à confondre
Learners don't know when to use commas. They think it's optional like in some English styles.
Using 'koji' to refer to a whole action.
Using 'od kojeg' instead of the possessive 'čiji'.
Erreurs courantes
Zagreb koji je velik je lijep.
Zagreb, koji je velik, lijep je.
Moja sestra koji živi...
Moja sestra koja živi...
Auto, koji je crven.
Auto koji je crven...
Oni su sretni koji...
Oni, koji su sretni, ...
Knjiga, koji sam čitao...
Knjiga, koju sam čitao...
Moja mama, koja živi u Splitu dolazi sutra.
Moja mama, koja živi u Splitu, dolazi sutra.
Grad, što je velik...
Grad, koji je velik...
Prijatelji, koji su tamo su dobri.
Prijatelji, koji su tamo, dobri su.
On je zakasnio, koji me naljutilo.
On je zakasnio, što me naljutilo.
Čovjek, o kojeg smo pričali...
Čovjek, o kojem smo pričali...
Žena, čiji pas sam vidio...
Žena, čijeg sam psa vidio...
To je problem, kojeg se ne može riješiti.
To je problem koji se ne može riješiti.
On je pobjegao, što, s obzirom na sve nije čudno.
On je pobjegao, što, s obzirom na sve, nije čudno.
Structures de phrases
[Proper Name], koji ___, [Verb] ___.
[Noun], koju sam ___, je ___.
[Sentence], što me je jako ___.
[Place], u kojem ___, nudi ___.
Real World Usage
Predsjednik, koji je posjetio Pariz, vratio se kući.
Moja sestra, koja je uvijek luda, opet je to napravila.
Moje prethodno iskustvo, koje uključuje rad u prodaji, vrlo je relevantno.
Hvar, koji je najsunčaniji otok, nudi odličan noćni život.
Ovaj zalazak sunca, koji sam snimio sinoć, je bez filtera!
Ova studija, koja se temelji na podacima iz 2022., pokazuje trend rasta.
The Removal Test
The Second Comma
Using 'Što' for Actions
Formal Polish
Smart Tips
Always use commas! Proper names are already unique, so any relative clause following them must be non-restrictive.
Use ', što' and never ', koji'.
Read the sentence out loud. If you naturally pause twice, you need two commas.
The preposition goes *before* the relative pronoun, and the comma goes *before* the preposition.
Prononciation
Comma Pause
In spoken Croatian, commas in non-restrictive clauses represent a slight drop in pitch and a brief pause.
Relative Pronoun Stress
The word 'koji' is usually unstressed or weakly stressed, leaning on the following word.
Parenthetical Dip
Moj brat (↓ koji živi u Zagrebu ↓) dolazi.
The pitch drops during the non-restrictive clause to signal it is 'extra' information.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Commas are like 'hugs' for extra information. If the info is just a 'by the way' friend, give it a hug with two commas!
Association visuelle
Imagine a sentence as a train. A non-restrictive clause is an extra passenger car in the middle. To attach it, you need two couplings (commas). If you remove the car, the train still reaches its destination.
Rhyme
When the info is just a plus, / use two commas, don't make a fuss!
Story
Marko (a specific noun) is walking. He puts on a backpack (the relative clause). The backpack has two straps (commas). Marko is still Marko without the backpack, but the backpack tells us he's going hiking.
Word Web
Défi
Look at 5 items in your room. Write one sentence for each using a non-restrictive clause. (e.g., 'Ovaj laptop, koji je star dvije godine, još uvijek radi.')
Notes culturelles
Standard Croatian is very strict about commas. In school, children are taught 'If you can remove it, comma it.'
In casual Dalmatian speech, 'što' is often used instead of 'koji' for all genders, but this is considered non-standard.
Croatian media uses non-restrictive clauses heavily to pack information into lead sentences.
Relative clauses in Croatian stem from Proto-Slavic relative pronouns. The distinction between restrictive and non-restrictive developed as punctuation became standardized in the 19th century.
Amorces de conversation
Reci mi nešto o svom najboljem prijatelju, koji živi u drugom gradu.
Koja je tvoja omiljena knjiga, koju si pročitao više puta?
Oppiši svoj rodni grad, koji je sigurno poseban.
Jesi li ikada zakasnio na važan sastanak, što je izazvalo probleme?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
Which sentence correctly uses commas for extra information?
Moja sestra, ___ živi u Berlinu, dolazi sutra.
Find and fix the mistake:
Split, koja je na moru, jako je lijep grad.
Marko je moj prijatelj. Marko radi u banci.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
In Croatian, you use 'što' to refer to a whole sentence, not just one noun.
A: Jesi li vidio mog psa? B: Misliš na onog malog psa, ___, uvijek laje?
'Moja majka, koja me voli, je tu.'
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesWhich sentence correctly uses commas for extra information?
Moja sestra, ___ živi u Berlinu, dolazi sutra.
Find and fix the mistake:
Split, koja je na moru, jako je lijep grad.
Marko je moj prijatelj. Marko radi u banci.
Match the following:
In Croatian, you use 'što' to refer to a whole sentence, not just one noun.
A: Jesi li vidio mog psa? B: Misliš na onog malog psa, ___, uvijek laje?
'Moja majka, koja me voli, je tu.'
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
In standard Croatian, use `koji` for nouns. Use `što` only when referring to a whole sentence or after certain pronouns like 'sve' or 'nešto'.
Because the clause is an interruption. You need one comma to start the interruption and one to return to the main sentence.
Only if the clause is 'restrictive' (essential to identify the noun). If it's extra info, skipping commas is a grammatical error.
Then you only need the first comma. The period at the end of the sentence replaces the second comma.
Look at the verb *inside* the relative clause. If 'koji' is the subject, use Nominative. If it's the object, use Accusative.
Yes! `Čiji` (whose) works exactly like `koji` and also requires commas if it's adding extra info.
Yes, if you are adding extra info about a specific place (e.g., 'U Zagrebu, gdje sam rođen, ...'), use commas.
Mostly, but Croatian is much stricter. In English, people often omit commas in informal writing; in Croatian, it's always expected.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Non-restrictive relative clauses (who/which)
Croatian never uses 'that' (da/što) as a relative pronoun for people.
Relativsätze
In German, commas are mandatory for ALL relative clauses; in Croatian, they are a semantic marker.
Oraciones de relativo explicativas
Croatian pronouns decline for 7 cases, whereas Spanish 'que' is mostly static.
Relative clauses (no pronoun)
Japanese has no relative pronouns like 'koji'.
Sifat / Al-sila
Arabic relative pronouns change based on definiteness, not just gender/number.
De (的) construction
Word order is reversed: [Description] + de + [Noun].
