Dutch grammar: betrekkelijke voornaamwoorden

What this grammar point covers

Betrekkelijke voornaamwoorden are Dutch words like 'die', 'dat', 'wie', and 'wat' used to connect two sentences by referring back to a noun or a whole idea. They help make your Dutch sentences longer and more interesting.

When to use it

Use betrekkelijke voornaamwoorden in Dutch to join two sentences, where the second sentence gives more information about a noun or an idea in the first sentence.

Key forms

• 'die' (for de-words, plural words)
• 'dat' (for het-words)
• 'wie' (for people, after something like 'degene')
• 'wat' (for things, or after 'alles', 'iets', 'niets')

Examples

Tips

• Remember: use 'die' for de-words and plural, 'dat' for het-words.
• After words like 'alles', 'iets', or 'niets', use 'wat', not 'dat'.
• 'Wie' is only used for people after words like 'degene'.

Exceptions and edge cases

• After an entire sentence or an idea, use 'wat' instead of 'dat'.
• Never use 'dat' for people, always use 'die' or 'wie' (after 'degene').