Dutch grammar: gebruik van betrekkelijke voornaamwoorden

What this grammar point covers

Relative pronouns in Dutch (betrekkelijke voornaamwoorden) are words like 'die', 'dat', and 'wie' used to connect two clauses by referring to a noun mentioned before.

When to use it

Use Dutch relative pronouns to join a main clause with a relative clause that gives more information about a noun. They refer back to something or someone mentioned earlier.

Key forms

• 'die' (for de-words and plural nouns)
• 'dat' (for het-words, singular neuter nouns)
• 'wie' (for people, in some cases)
• 'waar + preposition' (e.g., 'waarop', 'waarmee')

Examples

Tips

• Use 'die' for de-words and plurals, and 'dat' for het-words.
• 'Wie' is only used for people and after prepositions.
• After a preposition, use 'waar' + preposition for things (e.g., 'waarover').

Exceptions and edge cases

• 'Wat' is used as a relative pronoun after indefinite words like 'alles', 'iets', 'niets', and after superlatives.