Relative clauses with wo, was, wer

In German, relative clauses are used to provide additional information about nouns. Today, we will focus on relative clauses using "wo" (where), "was" (what/that), and "wer" (who). These relative pronouns help create specificity in sentences.

Relative Clause with "wo"

• Relative clauses with "wo" refer to places. They follow directly after the noun they describe and are separated by a comma.
• Example:

Explanation:

In this sentence, the clause "wo ich lebe" provides additional information about the city.

Relative Clause with "was"

• "Was" is used to provide information about an unspecified object or idea. This relative clause comes directly after the relevant noun or after a complete clause and is also separated by a comma.
• Example:

Explanation:

In the first example, the clause "was ich brauche" refers to the unspecified subject. In the second example, it refers back to the preceding statement and provides further information.

Relative Clause with "wer"

• "Wer" is used for people that are not precisely identified. This relative clause also follows directly after the noun and is separated by a comma.
• Example:

Explanation:

In the first sentence, "wer mir helfen kann" describes an unspecified person. In the second example, "wer das Buch liest" refers to a specific boy but remains non-specific.

With these explanations, you should now be able to correctly use relative clauses with "wo", "was", and "wer"!