Relativpronomen / Relativsätze: (Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses in German) (Prof. Engel-Doyle, Version vom 25.11.2011)

Relativpronomen / Relativsätze: Was wollte der Kaiser machen, dessen Armee Weinsberg erobert hatte? English equivalent: … the emperor …, whose army had conquered Weinsberg?

Relativpronomen / Relativsätze: Der Kaiser … sagte: „Morgen dürft ihr die Stadt verlassen, und die Dinge, dürft ihr auch aus der Stadt bringen.” die ihr auf eurem Rücken tragen könnt, English equivalent: … the things that/which you can carry on your back ….

Relativpronomen / Relativsätze: Die Frauen … dachten nur an ihre Männer, die am nächsten Tag sterben sollten. English equivalent: … their men folk, who were supposed to die the next day.

Relativpronomen Was wollte der Kaiser machen, dessen The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause. That noun is called ANTECEDANT. Was wollte der Kaiser machen, dessen Armee Weinsberg erobert hatte?

Relativpronomen die Dinge, die Der Kaiser … sagte: The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause. That noun is called ANTECEDANT. Der Kaiser … sagte: „Morgen dürft ihr die Stadt verlassen, und die Dinge, die ihr auf eurem Rücken tragen könnt, dürft ihr auch aus der Stadt bringen.”

Relativpronomen Die Frauen … dachten nur an ihre Männer, The relative pronoun is called that (= relative) because it stands for and refers/relates to a specific preceding noun in another clause. That noun is called ANTECEDANT. Die Frauen … dachten nur an ihre Männer, die am nächsten Tag sterben sollten.

Relativpronomen: Formen maskulin Sg. neutrum Sg. feminin Sg. Plural (m+n+f) der das die die Nominativ den das die die Akkusativ dem dem der deren Dativ dessen dessen deren deren Genitiv The German relative pronoun forms are basically the same as the definite articles. However, in the dative plural, –en is added. Similarly, all genitive forms attach/add -en. In addition, in the genitive masculine and neuter, the --s-- is doubled.

Relativpronomen/ Relativsätze The relative pronoun --agrees with the antecedant in number and gender -- here: singular masculine, BUT --the case of the relative pronoun depends on its function within the relative clause.; here: genitive case. Was wollte der Kaiser machen, dessen [whose = possessive => genitive case] Armee Weinsberg erobert hatte?

Relativpronomen/ Relativsätze The relative pronoun --agrees with the antecedant in number and gender -- here: singular neuter, BUT --the case of the relative pronoun depends on its function within the relative clause.; here: genitive case. Es war einmal ein kleines Mädchen, dessen [whose = possessive => genitive case] Vater und Mutter gestorben waren.

Relativpronomen/ Relativsätze The relative pronoun --agrees with the antecedant in number and gender -- here: singular neuter, BUT --the case of the relative pronoun depends on its function within the relative clause; here: dative case. Es war so arm, dass es kein Bettchen mehr hatte, in dem [in + no motion with direction towards the object of the preposition => dative case] es schlafen konnte.

Relativpronomen/ Relativsätze The relative pronoun --agrees with the antecedant in number and gender -- here: plural, BUT --the case of the relative pronoun depends on its function within the relative clause; here: accusative case. Es besaß [= hatte] nur die Kleider, die [direct object in accusative case] es auf dem Leib [=Körper] trug.

Relativpronomen/ Relativsätze The relative pronoun --agrees with the antecedant in number and gender -- here: singular neuter, BUT --the case of the relative pronoun depends on its function within the relative clause; here: accusative case. … und zu essen besaß es nur ein Stückchen Brot, das [direct object in accusative case] ihm ein mitleidiger Mensch geschenkt hatte.

Relativpronomen: Formen maskulin Sg. neutrum Sg. feminin Sg. Plural (m+n+f) der das die die Nominativ den das die die Akkusativ dem dem der deren Dativ dessen dessen deren deren Genitiv The German relative pronoun forms are basically the same as the definite articles. However, in the dative plural, –en is added. Similarly, all genitive forms attach/add -en. In addition, in the genitive masculine and neuter, the --s-- is doubled.

Relativpronomen Unlike in English, the relative pronoun is NEVER OMITTED in German: Once upon a time, there was a young woman whom everybody called Cinderella. Es war einmal ein Mädchen, das alle Aschenputtel nannten. Once upon a time, there was a young woman _____ everybody called Cinderella. Es war einmal ein Mädchen, das alle Aschenputtel nannten. Once upon a time, there was a young woman who was called Cinderella. Es war einmal ein Mädchen, das alle Aschenputtel nannten. Once upon a time, there was a young woman _____ called Cinderella. Es war einmal ein Mädchen, das alle Aschenputtel nannten.

Relativpronomen Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, Unlike in English, the relative pronoun is NEVER OMITTED in German: Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, war ein Prinz. The young man who rescued the princess was a prince. Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, war ein Prinz. The young man ____ rescuing the princess was a prince.

Relativsätze Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, Unlike in English, German relative clauses are ALWAYS SET OFF BY COMMAS (regardless whether they are defining or non-defining): Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, war ein Prinz. The young man who rescued the princess was a prince. The frog king, who really was a man under an evil spell, married the princess in the end. Der Froschkönig, der wirklich ein verwünschter Mann war, heiratete die Prinzessin am Ende.

Relativsätze der die Prinzessin rettete, Like most* subordinated/dependant clauses in German, German relative clauses have the CONJUGATED VERB at the VERY END: Der junge Mann, der die Prinzessin rettete, war ein Prinz. The young man who rescued the princess was a prince. Es war einmal ein Mädchen, das alle Aschenputtel nannten. Once upon a time, there was a young woman whom everybody called Cinderella. *The only exception to this rule are subordinate clauses with double infinitive structures. Unlike any other non-conjugated verb part which always is at the end, double infinitives go even behind the subordinate conjugated verb (which stays at the very end) to the very, very end of the subordinated clause.

Relativsätze Was wollte der Kaiser machen, Like most* subordinated/dependant clauses in German, German relative clauses have the CONJUGATED VERB at the VERY END: Was wollte der Kaiser machen, dessen Armee Weinsberg erobert hatte? *The only exception to this rule are subordinate clauses with double infinitive structures. Unlike any other non-conjugated verb part which always is at the end, double infinitives go even behind the subordinate conjugated verb (which stays at the very end) to the very, very end of the subordinated clause.

Relativsätze in das Das Tier, mit dem Rotkäppchen sprach, Unlike in English, if there is a PREPOSITION connected to the relative pronoun, it ALWAYS PRECEDES (= goes before) the relative pronoun: Das Tier, mit dem Rotkäppchen sprach, war ein großer, böser Wolf. The animal (that) Little Red Riding Hood talked with was a big bad wolf. The castle (that) the prince went into was under a bad spell. Das Schloss, in das der Prinz ging, war verwünscht. The castle into which the prince went was under a bad spell.