Relative Clauses with Prepositions & Special Pronouns

In standard German relative clauses, you choose der, die, das, denen, dessen, or deren based on the antecedent noun and the pronoun’s case. Two situations introduce special rules: when the verb inside the relative clause demands a preposition, and when the clause refers to something indefinite or to a whole sentence rather than a specific noun.

Preposition + Relative Pronoun

When the verb or phrase in the relative clause relies on one of German’s verbs with fixed prepositions or a spatial preposition, English often strands the preposition at the end (“the bus we’re waiting for”). German never strands prepositions at the end. Instead, the preposition moves directly before the relative pronoun and dictates its case, while gender and number still match the antecedent noun:

Notice how abstimmen über (+ Akk) combines with masculine der Vorschlag: Das ist der Vorschlag (der Vorschlag), über den wir abgestimmt haben.

Preposition + Pronoun vs. wo(r)- Compounds in Relative Clauses

Learners often confuse pronominal adverbs (wo(r)- compounds) with noun-based relative clauses. Standard German separates them cleanly by what sits in front of the comma:

After a Concrete Noun → Preposition + Relative Pronoun

Whether the antecedent noun is a person or a thing, standard written German uses preposition + declined relative pronoun:

• Das ist der Vorschlag (der Vorschlag), über den wir abgestimmt haben. (That is the proposal we voted on.)
• Das Projekt (das Projekt), an dem wir arbeiten, ist vertraulich. (The project we’re working on is confidential.)
• Das Werkzeug (das Werkzeug), mit dem er das repariert hat, ist neu. (The tool he repaired that with is new.)

(Forms like worüber, woran, or womit after a specific noun sound colloquial or dated and should be avoided in standard writing and exams.)

After Indefinite Pronouns or a Whole Clause → wo(r)- + Preposition

Switch to wo(r)- + preposition (inserting -r- before a vowel) whenever the antecedent is das, alles, etwas, nichts or an entire preceding clause:

• Das ist alles, worüber wir gesprochen haben. (That is everything we talked about.)
• Es gibt nichts, wofür ich mich schämen müsste. (There is nothing I would have to be ashamed of.)
• Er hat sich entschuldigt, worüber ich mich sehr gefreut habe. (He apologized, which made me very happy.)

The Relative Pronoun was (Indefinite Antecedents)

When there is no preposition—and no concrete masculine, feminine, or neuter noun being described—use was (not das) in three situations:

1. Indefinite Pronouns: alles, etwas, nichts, viel(es), wenig, manches

• Das ist alles, was ich weiß. (That is all that I know.)
• Es gibt nichts, was er nicht kann. (There is nothing that he cannot do.)
• Ich habe etwas, was dir gefallen wird. (I have something that you will like. — Note: after etwas, das is also acceptable.)

2. Nominalized Neuter Superlatives: das Beste, das Schönste, das Wichtigste

• Das ist das Beste, was mir je passiert ist. (That is the best thing that has ever happened to me.)
• Das Einzige, was zählt, ist das Ergebnis (das Ergebnis). (The only thing that counts is the result.)

3. An Entire Preceding Clause (Sentence Relative Clause)

When the relative clause comments on the whole event described before the comma rather than a single noun, always use was:

• Er hat die Prüfung (die Prüfung) bestanden, was seine Eltern (Pl., die Eltern) sehr freute. (He passed the exam, which pleased his parents very much.)

The Relative Pronoun wo for Places

In everyday German, wo frequently replaces in dem / in der / an dem when referring to a geographical place or building:

• Das Restaurant (das Restaurant), wo wir gestern waren, war hervorragend. (= Das Restaurant, in dem wir gestern waren…)
• In dem Moment (der Moment), wo das geschah… (Temporal wo is common in conversation; in careful writing, in dem or als is usually preferred.)

Summary Decision Tree for Relative Pronouns

1. Concrete noun (person or thing)? → Declined relative pronoun (der / die / das / denen / dessen / deren), preceded by any required preposition (mit dem, über den).
2. alles, nichts, vieles, das, or a neuter superlative (das Beste)? → was (with a preposition: wo(r)-, e.g. alles, worüber …).
3. etwas? → was or das.
4. Entire preceding sentence? → was (with a preposition: wo(r)-, e.g. …, worüber ich mich freute).

Common Mistakes to Avoid