Intermediate German: A Grammar and Workbook

Using the genitive

Relative pronouns in the genitive, corresponding to the English ‘whose’,

indicate a relationship of belonging between persons or things:

Das ist Jörg, dessenSohn Musik studiert.(masc.)

This is Jörg whose son studies music.

Da drüben ist Petra, derenMann allein in den Urlaub

gefahren ist.(fem.)

Over there is Petra whose husband went on holiday on

his own.

Das ist das Kind, dessenEltern beide aus den USA kommen.(nt.)

This is the child whose parents come from the USA.

Ein Stipendium bekommen nur die Studenten, derenEltern nicht

so viel verdienen.(pl.)

Only those students whose parents aren’t so well off get a grant.

Points to watch out for

Usage in German and English

The relative pronoun is often omitted in English, as can be seen from

some of the examples above, e.g.:

Do you recognise the actor we saw just now?

In German, the relative pronoun cannotbe omitted, e.g.:

Erkennst du den Schauspieler, denwir gerade gesehen haben?

No distinction between ‘who’ and ‘which’

Also note that there is no distinction in German between ‘who’ and

‘which’. The same relative pronouns refer to persons andthings:

Das ist Karl, deraus Berlin kommt.

Sie sahen einen Film, derin den 50er Jahren gedreht wurde.

Unit 20: Relative clauses 153

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