A2-42 · Describe the book or film you mean

Books and films

Use relative clauses with nominative and accusative pronouns to identify people and stories.

About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions

A reader and a film fan compare a book and a movie poster with no lettering in a library cafe.

Let the relative pronoun be the subject

A relative clause gives more information about a noun. Use der, die or das to match its gender, and put the conjugated verb last: ein Film, der spannend ist.

Das ist ein Film, der spannend ist.

That is a film that is exciting.

Ich mag die Geschichte, die hier beginnt.

I like the story that begins here.

Das ist ein Buch, das lustig ist.

That is a book that is funny.

Ich kenne einen Film, der sehr lang ist.

I know a film that is very long.

Der Film means film, die Geschichte story and das Buch book. Separate the relative clause with a comma.

An adult points to a film and a book they recommend while another person listens.

Let the relative pronoun be the object

If the relative pronoun receives the action, use the accusative. Masculine der becomes den: der Film, den ich sehe. Feminine die and neuter das stay the same.

Das ist der Film, den ich sehe.

That is the film that I am watching.

Das ist die Geschichte, die ich lese.

That is the story that I am reading.

Das ist das Buch, das Mara empfiehlt.

That is the book that Mara recommends.

Ich kenne den Autor, den du magst.

I know the author whom you like.

The pronoun’s gender comes from the noun outside the clause. Its case comes from its role inside the relative clause.

Friends discuss a crime novel and a comedy film at a book club table.

Keep the verb at the end

With a past-tense relative clause, the helping verb goes last: der Film, den ich gesehen habe. With a modal, the modal goes last: das Buch, das ich lesen möchte.

Das ist der Film, den ich gesehen habe.

That is the film that I watched.

Das ist das Buch, das ich lesen möchte.

That is the book that I would like to read.

Ich mag Filme, die lustig sind.

I like films that are funny.

Das ist ein Krimi, den ich gern lese.

That is a crime story that I enjoy reading.

Der Krimi means crime story and die Komödie comedy. A short relative clause makes a review more precise.

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