German Indefinite Relative Pronoun: 'was' (Everything, nothing, which)
was for indefinite pronouns, neuter superlatives, and whole clauses—never for specific, gendered nouns.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'was' as a relative pronoun when referring to indefinite pronouns like 'alles', 'nichts', or entire clauses.
- Use 'was' after indefinite pronouns: 'Alles, was ich weiß, ist wahr.'
- Use 'was' after superlatives (neut. sing.): 'Das Beste, was mir passierte.'
- Use 'was' when the relative clause refers to a whole sentence: 'Er kam zu spät, was mich ärgerte.'
Overview
As an advanced German learner navigating the complexities of C1 grammar, you've likely mastered the basic relative pronouns der, die, das for specific noun antecedents. However, German syntax requires a more nuanced approach when the antecedent is not a concrete noun but an abstract concept, an indefinite quantity, or even an entire preceding statement. This is where the indefinite relative pronoun was becomes indispensable.
Unlike its gendered counterparts, was does not refer back to a specific der Mann or die Frau, but rather to 'everything,' 'nothing,' 'something,' or the comprehensive idea expressed in a previous clause.
Mastering was signifies a significant step in achieving fluency and precision in German. It allows you to construct sophisticated sentences, articulate abstract thoughts, and comment on situations with a native-like naturalness. While was primarily functions as an indefinite relative pronoun, its usage also extends to wo- compounds when governed by a preposition, further expanding your ability to connect ideas seamlessly.
Recognizing when to employ was versus das is a hallmark of advanced grammatical competence and elevates your communication beyond a literal, word-for-word translation mindset.
How This Grammar Works
was lies in its antecedent's lack of specificity. While der, die, das act as substitutes for specific nouns, was functions as a placeholder for a general idea, a quantity, or a complete thought. This distinction is critical for understanding its application in complex sentence structures.was provides the necessary grammatical link.Alles, was glänzt, ist nicht Gold. (All that glitters is not gold.) Here, alles is an indefinite pronoun, referring to a general, unspecified collection of things. Since alles lacks a specific gender or singular/plural form that a definite relative pronoun could reference, was steps in. It maintains the neutrality required by the antecedent.was acts as a summarizing pronoun. For example, Er hat die Besprechung abrupt verlassen, was alle überraschte. (He abruptly left the meeting, which surprised everyone.) In this instance, was refers to the action of leaving the meeting, not to die Besprechung itself.was always sends its conjugated verb to the final position, adhering to the standard German subordinate clause word order.was and its non-specific antecedents is key to unlocking more intricate German sentence constructions.Formation Pattern
was follows a consistent structure, albeit with important considerations for prepositions. The basic pattern involves a main clause followed by a comma, then was, which introduces the subordinate relative clause. The conjugated verb in this relative clause always moves to the final position.
, + was + [subject (if different)] + [object/complement] + conjugated verb
Ich verstehe nicht alles, was du sagst. (I don't understand everything you say.)
Das ist das Wichtigste, was wir heute besprechen müssen. (That is the most important thing we need to discuss today.)
was itself does not decline for nominative or accusative case; it remains was regardless of its function within the relative clause. If was is the subject, it's was. If it's the direct object, it's still was. This simplifies its usage significantly compared to der, die, das.
wo- Compounds
was, you must use a wo- compound. You cannot place a preposition directly before was (e.g., über was is grammatically incorrect in standard German). These compounds merge wo- with the relevant preposition, creating a new word that functions as the relative pronoun and includes the prepositional meaning.
wo- Compound | Example Meaning (approx.) | Example Sentence |
woran | on/at/about what | Das ist das Einzige, woran ich mich erinnere. (That's the only thing I remember.) |
worauf | on/for what | Ich weiß nicht, worauf er wartet. (I don't know what he is waiting for.) |
woraus | from what | Woraus besteht das Problem? (What does the problem consist of?) |
wobei | at/during which | Er half mir beim Projekt, wobei ich viel gelernt habe. (He helped me with the project, during which I learned a lot.) |
wodurch | through what, whereby | Die Reform, wodurch viele Arbeitsplätze geschaffen wurden... (The reform, whereby many jobs were created...) |
wofür | for what | Alles, wofür ich lebe, ist die Musik. (Everything I live for is music.) |
wogegen | against what | Das ist das, wogegen ich mich wehre. (That's what I'm resisting.) |
worin | in what | Die Schwierigkeit, worin die Lösung liegt, ist komplex. (The difficulty, in which the solution lies, is complex.) |
womit | with what | Das ist das Werkzeug, womit er arbeitet. (That's the tool he works with.) |
wonach | after what, according to what | Er fragte, wonach ich gesucht hatte. (He asked what I had been looking for.) |
worüber | about what, over what | Wir haben über vieles gesprochen, worüber wir uns einig waren. (We talked about many things about which we agreed.) |
worum | about what, around what | Es ging darum, worum es im Leben wirklich geht. (It was about what life is really about.) |
worunter | under what, among which | Die Situation, worunter er litt, war schwierig. (The situation, under which he suffered, was difficult.) |
wovon | of what, from what | Erzähl mir alles, wovon du geträumt hast. (Tell me everything you dreamed of.) |
wovor | before what, from what (fear) | Das ist das Schlimmste, wovor ich Angst habe. (That's the worst thing I'm afraid of.) |
wozu | for what, to what purpose | Ich verstehe nicht, wozu das dient. (I don't understand what that is for.) |
an, auf, in, über, um, unter), an -r- is inserted between wo- and the preposition (e.g., wo-an becomes woran). For prepositions starting with a consonant, wo- is directly combined (e.g., wo-mit becomes womit).
wessen: While wessen technically exists as the genitive form of was, its use as an indefinite relative pronoun is exceedingly rare in modern German. Speakers almost invariably opt for rephrasing or using wo- compounds with von (e.g., wovon) to express possession or relationship. At C1 level, it is generally advisable to avoid wessen in this context.
When To Use It
was serves distinct and crucial functions in German, primarily when dealing with non-specific or abstract antecedents. Mastery of these contexts is essential for advanced communication.- 1After Indefinite Pronouns and Quantifiers:
was is mandatory after indefinite pronouns such as alles (everything), nichts (nothing), etwas (something), vieles (much), weniges (little), and einiges (some, a few things). These pronouns inherently refer to an unspecified quantity or collection of items or concepts.Alles, was er heute gesagt hat, war sehr interessant.(Everything he said today was very interesting.)Nichts, was du tust, kann das ändern.(Nothing you do can change that.)Ich habe einiges erfahren, was mich überrascht hat.(I learned some things that surprised me.)
- 1After the Neuter Demonstrative Pronoun
das(referring to a general idea or statement):
das is used in the main clause to refer to a general idea, a situation, or a concept (rather than a specific neuter noun), was introduces the relative clause that further specifies this general das.Das ist genau das, was ich wissen wollte.(That is exactly what I wanted to know.)Das, was gestern passiert ist, müssen wir klären.(What happened yesterday, we need to clarify.)
- 1After Substantivized Neuter Superlatives:
was is used after neuter superlative adjectives that have been substantivized, meaning they function as nouns. Examples include das Beste (the best thing), das Schönste (the most beautiful thing), das Wichtigste (the most important thing), das Neueste (the newest thing), das Einzige (the only thing).Das Beste, was uns passieren konnte, war dieser Urlaub.(The best thing that could happen to us was this holiday.)Das Wichtigste, was du im Leben lernst, ist Geduld.(The most important thing you learn in life is patience.)Das ist das Einzige, was er sich noch wünscht.(That's the only thing he still wishes for.)
- 1To Refer to an Entire Preceding Clause:
was is to refer back to the entirety of a previous statement, acting as a commentary or consequence of that statement. In this context, was often translates to "which" or "and that" in English.Sie hat die Prüfung ohne Probleme bestanden, was sie sehr stolz gemacht hat.(She passed the exam without problems, which made her very proud.)Er hat das Projekt nicht rechtzeitig beendet, was zu Verzögerungen führte.(He didn't finish the project on time, which led to delays.)Das Restaurant war überfüllt, was eine Reservierung unerlässlich machte.(The restaurant was overcrowded, which made a reservation essential.)
was as an indefinite relative pronoun. Employing it correctly in these contexts will significantly enhance the naturalness and complexity of your German expressions.Common Mistakes
was. Recognizing these common errors and understanding the underlying grammatical principles will help you avoid missteps and refine your usage.- 1Using
dasinstead ofwasafter Indefinite Pronouns or Substantivized Superlatives:
das (as it might feel more 'neuter' or 'definite') after words like alles is strong, but incorrect. Remember, das as a relative pronoun must refer to a specific, singular neuter noun. Indefinite pronouns like alles do not provide this specific referent.✗ Alles, das ich brauche, ist Ruhe.✓ Alles, was ich brauche, ist Ruhe.(Everything I need is peace.)✗ Das Beste, das er je hatte, war dieses Auto.✓ Das Beste, was er je hatte, war dieses Auto.(The best thing he ever had was this car.)
- 1Using
wasto refer to Specific Nouns (of any gender):
was when a specific noun (even a neuter one) is the antecedent is a significant grammatical error. was is reserved for indefinite or conceptual references.✗ das Buch, was ich gelesen habe, war spannend.✓ das Buch, das ich gelesen habe, war spannend.(The book that I read was exciting.)✗ die Frau, was dort steht, ist meine Kollegin.✓ die Frau, die dort steht, ist meine Kollegin.(The woman who stands there is my colleague.)
- 1Incorrect Prepositional Usage (Not forming
wo-Compounds):
was is ungrammatical in standard German relative clauses. The wo- compounds are obligatory.✗ Die Sache, über was wir sprachen, war komplex.✓ Die Sache, worüber wir sprachen, war komplex.(The matter about which we spoke was complex.) (Note:die Sacheis a specific noun, butworüberis fine as a general reference todie Sachewhen the context implies a broader concept, or for clarity. If the reference is strictly to the noun, thenüber diewould be used.)✗ Mit was arbeitest du?✓ Womit arbeitest du?(With what are you working? - Interrogative, but shows the principle.)
- 1Omitting the Comma:
was. This isn't an optional stylistic choice; it's a fundamental punctuation rule.✗ Alles was du sagst ist wichtig.✓ Alles, was du sagst, ist wichtig.
- 1Confusing
was(thing/concept) withwer(person):
was refers to things, concepts, or entire situations. wer refers to indefinite people. Mixing these up leads to grammatical and semantic confusion.✗ Was mich überraschte, war der neue Lehrer.(Grammatically incorrect when referring to a person as the surprise.)✓ Wer mich überraschte, war der neue Lehrer.(The one who surprised me was the new teacher.)
✗ Wer heute wichtig ist, ist das Ergebnis.(Incorrect, asErgebnisis a thing.)✓ Was heute wichtig ist, ist das Ergebnis.(What is important today is the result.)
was and enhance the accuracy and sophistication of your written and spoken German.Real Conversations
Understanding the theoretical rules for was is one aspect; observing its natural integration into everyday German communication is another. In contemporary usage, was is an indispensable tool for concise expression across various registers, from casual chat to more formal discussions.
In informal conversations and digital communication (texting, social media), was frequently appears when summarizing a situation or referring to general concepts:
- Hab alles gecheckt, was wichtig war. Passt so. (I checked everything that was important. It's fine like that.) – Text message shorthand.
- Das war das Geilste, was ich je gesehen hab! (That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!) – Enthusiastic casual comment.
- Sie hat mal wieder zu viel versprochen, was mich nicht überrascht. (She promised too much again, which doesn't surprise me.) – Commenting on a recurrent behavior.
In professional or academic settings, was facilitates clear and efficient communication of complex ideas and findings:
- Wir müssen besprechen, was in der letzten Sitzung entschieden wurde, und worauf wir uns einigen können. (We need to discuss what was decided in the last meeting and what we can agree on.) – Work email.
- Die Studie zeigte, was für Auswirkungen der Klimawandel auf die Ökosysteme hat. (The study showed what kind of effects climate change has on the ecosystems.) – Academic discussion. Note here was für acts as an interrogative/exclamative phrase and not purely an indefinite relative pronoun, but it demonstrates the flexibility of was.
- Die Erkenntnis, womit wir arbeiten, ist bahnbrechend. (The insight with which we are working is groundbreaking.) – Formal presentation. Note the wo- compound with a specific noun Erkenntnis here, used for conciseness.
Was allows for a fluid, integrated style of communication where thoughts are connected without resorting to disjointed sentences. It is a linguistic shortcut that adds elegance and efficiency, reflecting a native speaker's ability to process and articulate abstract relationships and situations. Paying attention to how native speakers use was in various contexts will significantly improve your own active usage.
Quick FAQ
was refer to a person?Was is exclusively for things, concepts, or entire situations/preceding clauses. If you are referring to an indefinite person, use wer (Wer das weiß...).der or die (Der Mann, der kommt...). Using was for a person (Die Frau, was dort steht) is a common dialectal usage in some German regions, but it is considered grammatically incorrect in standard German and should be avoided at the C1 level.was as a relative pronoun differ from was as an interrogative pronoun?was is identical, its grammatical function and meaning differ. As an interrogative pronoun, was introduces a question, either direct (Was machst du? – What are you doing?) or indirect (Ich frage, was du machst. – I ask what you are doing). As an indefinite relative pronoun, it introduces a subordinate clause that refers back to an indefinite antecedent or an entire preceding clause, acting as a connector (e.g., Alles, was ich sehe...).wessen (genitive of was) commonly used?wessen as an indefinite relative pronoun is extremely rare in modern German. Native speakers almost always rephrase sentences to avoid it, often using wo- compounds with von (e.g., wovon) or entirely different sentence structures. For instance, instead of an awkward construction like Das Problem, wessen Lösung schwierig ist, one would typically say Das Problem, dessen Lösung schwierig ist (if referring to a specific neuter noun Problem) or simply Dieses Problem hat eine schwierige Lösung. For the abstract, one might say Das ist das Problem, woran die Lösung scheitert.was be used in place of dass?was and dass have fundamentally different grammatical functions. was introduces a relative clause that describes or specifies an indefinite antecedent or a preceding clause. dass is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a noun clause (also known as a dass-Satz), typically conveying a fact, opinion, or statement.Ich weiß, was passiert ist. (I know what happened – referring to a specific event/thing) versus Ich weiß, dass etwas passiert ist. (I know that something happened – stating a fact).die Dinge), do I use was or die?die (Die Dinge, die ich erlebt habe...). You use was only when the antecedent is truly indefinite (alles, nichts, etwas), a neuter superlative (das Beste), or an entire preceding clause. was itself does not inflect for number.Usage of 'was' as a Relative Pronoun
| Antecedent Type | Relative Pronoun | Verb Position |
|---|---|---|
|
Indefinite Pronoun (alles, nichts)
|
was
|
End of clause
|
|
Superlative (das Beste)
|
was
|
End of clause
|
|
Whole Clause
|
was
|
End of clause
|
|
Neutral Pronoun (etwas, vieles)
|
was
|
End of clause
|
|
Ordinal number (das Erste)
|
was
|
End of clause
|
Meanings
The relative pronoun 'was' serves to introduce relative clauses that do not refer to a specific noun, but to an indefinite concept or an entire preceding statement.
Indefinite Pronoun Reference
Referring to words like 'alles', 'nichts', 'etwas', 'vieles'.
“Nichts, was er sagte, war gelogen.”
“Alles, was ich brauche, ist Liebe.”
Superlative Reference
Referring to an adjective in the superlative degree.
“Das Schönste, was ich je gesehen habe.”
“Das Beste, was uns passieren konnte.”
Whole Clause Reference
Referring to the entire content of the preceding main clause.
“Er hat die Prüfung bestanden, was mich sehr freut.”
“Sie kam nicht zur Arbeit, was alle überraschte.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Alles, was...
|
Alles, was ich weiß.
|
|
Negative
|
Nichts, was...
|
Nichts, was ich will.
|
|
Superlative
|
Das Beste, was...
|
Das Beste, was ich habe.
|
|
Clause Ref
|
..., was...
|
Er lügt, was mich stört.
|
|
Question
|
Was ist das, was...?
|
Was ist das, was du suchst?
|
|
Complex
|
Alles, was ich dir sagen wollte, was...
|
Alles, was ich dir sagen wollte, was wichtig ist.
|
Formality Spectrum
Alles, was er sagt, entspricht der Wahrheit. (Discussing honesty)
Alles, was er sagt, ist wahr. (Discussing honesty)
Alles, was er so labert, stimmt. (Discussing honesty)
Alles, was er quatscht, ist wahr. (Discussing honesty)
When to use 'was'
Indefinite
- alles everything
- nichts nothing
Superlatives
- das Beste the best
Situations
- ganzer Satz whole sentence
Examples by Level
Alles, was ich habe.
Everything that I have.
Nichts, was ich mag.
Nothing that I like.
Das ist, was ich will.
That is what I want.
Alles, was gut ist.
Everything that is good.
Gibt es etwas, was ich tun kann?
Is there something that I can do?
Das Beste, was ich kenne.
The best that I know.
Er sagt alles, was er denkt.
He says everything that he thinks.
Ich weiß nicht, was er meint.
I don't know what he means.
Er kam zu spät, was mich ärgerte.
He arrived late, which annoyed me.
Sie hat gewonnen, was alle freute.
She won, which pleased everyone.
Das ist das Einzige, was zählt.
That is the only thing that counts.
Er lügt, was ich nicht mag.
He lies, which I don't like.
Das Schlimmste, was passieren konnte, geschah.
The worst that could happen, happened.
Er vergaß den Termin, was ein Problem war.
He forgot the appointment, which was a problem.
Alles, was wir besprochen haben, ist wichtig.
Everything we discussed is important.
Das ist alles, was ich dazu sagen kann.
That is all I can say about that.
Die Firma wurde verkauft, was weitreichende Folgen hatte.
The company was sold, which had far-reaching consequences.
Er behauptete, er sei krank, was sich als falsch herausstellte.
He claimed he was sick, which turned out to be false.
Das Beste, was man in dieser Lage tun kann, ist abwarten.
The best one can do in this situation is wait.
Alles, was von Bedeutung ist, steht im Bericht.
Everything of importance is in the report.
Er ignorierte die Warnungen, was letztlich zu seinem Untergang führte.
He ignored the warnings, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Das ist das Einzige, was mich an diesem Vorschlag stört.
That is the only thing that bothers me about this proposal.
Was er auch tat, es war nie genug.
Whatever he did, it was never enough.
Er hat das Budget gekürzt, was die Abteilung vor große Herausforderungen stellt.
He cut the budget, which poses great challenges for the department.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'was' for all relative clauses.
Common Mistakes
Das Buch, was ich lese.
Das Buch, das ich lese.
Alles, das ich weiß.
Alles, was ich weiß.
Er kam spät, das mich ärgerte.
Er kam spät, was mich ärgerte.
Das Beste, das ich je sah.
Das Beste, was ich je sah.
Sentence Patterns
Alles, ___ ich brauche, ist ___.
Real World Usage
Alles, was ich heute erlebt habe, war toll!
Das ist alles, was ich dazu sagen kann.
Alles, was du willst.
Das Beste, was man hier machen kann, ist wandern.
Alles, was ich bestellt habe, war kalt.
Dies ist alles, was in der Studie untersucht wurde.
The 'Everything' Rule
No Nouns!
Whole Sentence Reference
Register Matters
Smart Tips
Use 'was' immediately.
Use 'was' to summarize the whole situation.
Always use 'was'.
Check if there is a noun. If not, use 'was'.
Pronunciation
Stress
The word 'was' is usually unstressed in a relative clause.
Rising-Falling
Alles, was ich weiß, ↗ ist wahr ↘.
Standard declarative statement.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Was is the 'Wildcard'—use it when you don't have a specific noun to point to.
Visual Association
Imagine a giant '?' box. Since you don't know what's inside, you use 'was' to describe the mystery box.
Rhyme
If the noun is not there, 'was' is the one to share.
Story
I bought everything (alles). I didn't like anything (nichts). The best thing (das Beste) was the cake. Everything that happened, which (was) was great, made me happy.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences today using 'was' to comment on things you did.
Cultural Notes
Germans value precision; using 'was' correctly shows you understand the difference between specific objects and abstract concepts.
Derived from the interrogative pronoun 'was'.
Conversation Starters
Was ist das Beste, was du heute erlebt hast?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Alles, ___ ich weiß, ist wahr.
Das Auto, ___ ich fahre, ist neu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Das Haus, was ich kaufte, ist groß.
Er kam spät / was / mich / ärgerte.
The best that I can do.
Answer starts with: Das...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Das Schlimmste, ___ passieren konnte, ist passiert.
Er hat gelogen, ___ mich sehr enttäuscht hat.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesAlles, ___ ich weiß, ist wahr.
Das Auto, ___ ich fahre, ist neu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Das Haus, was ich kaufte, ist groß.
Er kam spät / was / mich / ärgerte.
The best that I can do.
Alles, was ich habe.
Das Schlimmste, ___ passieren konnte, ist passiert.
Er hat gelogen, ___ mich sehr enttäuscht hat.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesDas ist das Schönste, ___ ich je gesehen habe.
was / Nichts, / ist / er / wahr / sagt, / .
Everything that you do is important.
Das ist das Einzige, das zählt.
Which one is correct?
Match the phrases:
Das, ___ du da isst, sieht lecker aus.
Identify the commentary clause:
Wenig, das er sagte, war neu.
He is late, which is normal.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, never. Use 'der' or 'die'.
Yes, it introduces the relative clause.
No, it remains 'was'.
Yes, 'etwas' is an indefinite pronoun.
Because it's a relative clause, which is a subordinate clause.
The relative pronoun must match the noun.
Yes, very frequently.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
that/which
German requires 'was' for abstract concepts, English uses 'that'.
lo que
None, they function almost identically.
ce que
None, they function almost identically.
koto
Japanese structure is entirely different (SOV).
ma
Arabic is a Semitic language with different syntax.
suo
Chinese does not have the same relative clause structure.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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