Breakdown of Die Blumen, deren Duft angenehm ist, stehen im Zimmer.
sein
to be
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
stehen
to stand
die Blume
the flower
der Duft
the scent
angenehm
pleasant
das Zimmer
the room
deren
whose
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Questions & Answers about Die Blumen, deren Duft angenehm ist, stehen im Zimmer.
What is the function of deren in this sentence?
deren is the genitive relative pronoun linking the main clause to the subordinate clause. It corresponds to whose in English. Here it tells us that the Duft (scent) belongs to die Blumen (the flowers).
Why is the relative pronoun in the genitive case and not in nominative, accusative, or dative?
Because the clause expresses possession: the scent belongs to the flowers. In German, possession is shown by the genitive case. Hence we use deren Duft to mean “the flowers’ scent.”
How can I tell that deren refers back to die Blumen and not to another noun like Zimmer?
Two clues:
- Word order – the relative clause immediately follows die Blumen, so it modifies that noun.
- Agreement – die Blumen is plural, and the only plural genitive relative pronoun is deren.
Could I use dessen instead of deren here?
No. Dessen is the genitive relative pronoun for masculine and neuter singular antecedents. Since Blumen is plural (die Blumen), you must use deren, the genitive form for all plurals (and feminine singular).
Why does the verb ist appear at the end of the relative clause?
German subordinate clauses (including relative clauses) follow the verb-final rule. Everything else comes first—here deren Duft angenehm—and the conjugated verb ist closes the clause.
Are the commas around deren Duft angenehm ist mandatory?
Yes. In German, every relative clause is set off by commas: one before the clause and one after. You cannot omit them.
Why does the sentence use stehen instead of sind for “are in the room”?
Stehen (“to stand”) is commonly used for things that stand or are placed upright (like flowers in a vase). You could say Die Blumen sind im Zimmer, but stehen is more idiomatic when describing their placement.
What does im stand for, and could I write in dem Zimmer instead?
Im is simply the contraction of in dem. Both im Zimmer and in dem Zimmer are correct; im is just the more common, shorter form.