Accusative Relative Pronouns
You have already learned how to use the relative pronoun który (who, which, that) when it is the subject of its own clause.
However, if the relative pronoun is the direct object of its clause—for example, in the phrase "the book that I am reading", where "that" receives the action of reading—you must use the Accusative case.
As always, the relative pronoun matches the gender of the noun it describes, and the relative clause is always preceded by a comma.
Feminine and Neuter Forms
- Feminine nouns take którą.
- Neuter nouns take które (identical to the nominative form).
| This is the novel that you recommended to me. | To powieść, którą mi poleciłeś. |
| This is the child that I saw in the park. | To dziecko, które widziałem w parku. |
Masculine Forms
For masculine nouns, the accusative form depends on whether the noun refers to a living being or an object:
- Masculine inanimate (objects): który (identical to the nominative form).
- Masculine animate and personal (people and animals): którego.
| Can you recommend a film that I must watch? | Czy możesz polecić film, który muszę obejrzeć? |
| The director that we invited is very famous. | Reżyser, którego zaprosiliśmy, jest bardzo znany. |
Case Depends on the Clause
The case of the relative pronoun depends purely on its job inside the new clause. It doesn't matter if the original noun was the subject or object of the main sentence. If someone inside the relative clause is acting upon the pronoun, use the Accusative.
| I saw the singer that you like. | Widziałem piosenkarkę, którą lubisz. |
| I don't know the boy that we invited. | Nie znam chłopca, którego zaprosiliśmy. |
| She lost the photo that I gave her. | Zgubiła zdjęcie, które jej dałem. |