Prepositional relative clauses (mit dem, auf die)

Prepositional relative clauses

Relative clauses add extra details about a noun. When the verb in the relative clause requires a preposition, or when you describe a location or tool (like the studio you record in, or the cable you connect with), the preposition sits at the very beginning of the relative clause.

Place a comma, followed immediately by the preposition and the relative pronoun, and send the conjugated verb to the end.

The noun described determines the pronoun's gender and number, but the preposition determines its case.

Dative relative pronouns (Location and means)

Prepositions like mit, von, and aus always take the Dative case. Two-way prepositions (in, an, auf) also take the Dative when describing a static location (answering "where?").

The Dative relative pronouns are dem (masculine/neuter), der (feminine), and denen (plural).

Here, das Studio is a neuter noun, and in indicates location, so we use in dem:

Similarly, working at a mixing desk is a static location:

When describing a tool you use to accomplish something, mit always takes the Dative:

Accusative relative pronouns (Direction and targets)

Prepositions like ohne and für always take the Accusative case. Two-way prepositions shift to the Accusative when they describe a direction, movement, or targeted action (answering "where to?").

The Accusative relative pronouns are den (masculine), die (feminine/plural), and das (neuter).

Because ohne strictly requires the Accusative, the masculine noun Kopfhörer takes den:

Notice how the two-way preposition an behaves differently here than it did with the mixing desk above. Because plugging headphones into a computer is a directed action, an triggers the Accusative:

Looking onto a screen is also a targeted direction:

And für always takes the Accusative:

Relative pronouns at a glance

Here is a quick summary of the relative pronouns: