The Relative Pronoun "die"
A relative clause is a part of a sentence that gives more information about a noun. In English, these clauses usually start with "who", "which", or "that".
In Dutch, when the noun you are describing is a de-word (which includes most professions) or a plural noun, you use the relative pronoun die.
| who / that (relative pronoun) | die |
| This is the baker who bakes the bread. | Dit is de bakker die het brood bakt. |
| I know the butcher who sells this meat. | Ik ken de slager die dit vlees verkoopt. |
Verb-Final Word Order
A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause. Just like the indirect questions you learned previously, this means the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end of the relative clause.
| Where do I find a lawyer who wants to read the contract? | Waar vind ik een advocaat die het contract wil lezen? |
If the relative clause has multiple verbs (like a modal verb and an infinitive, or a helping verb and a past participle), they all go to the end of the clause.
| We are looking for a painter who can paint fast. | Wij zoeken een schilder die snel kan schilderen. |
Interrupting the Main Sentence
Because a relative clause must sit directly after the noun it describes, it often interrupts the main sentence.
When this happens, the main sentence pauses, the relative clause runs its course (ending with its verb), and then the main sentence picks up right where it left off.
| The dentist who checks my teeth is always nice. | De tandarts die mijn tanden controleert, is altijd aardig. |
| The judge who discovers the mistake is very strict. | De rechter die de fout ontdekt, is heel streng. |
| The mayor who lives in the center opens the party. | De burgemeester die in het centrum woont, opent het feest. |