Master the Relative Clause
An essential structure for B1 proficiency.
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Jump straight into interactive exercises with this structure.
How it works
Relative Clause: The Pointing Finger ☝️
A Relative Clause is just a fancy name for a sentence that describes a Noun.
- "The man who lives here."
- "The book that I bought."
In Dutch, this acts exactly like a Subordinate Clause. The "Who" or "That" (die/dat) acts as the Kicker.
The Rule
- Pointer Word (Die or Dat) refers back to the noun.
- The Verb gets kicked to the end.
Die vs. Dat
- Die: Use for De-words (De man, de tafel) and Plurals.
- Dat: Use for Het-words (Het boek, het huis).
Examples
De Man (The Man)
- De man is rijk. (The man is rich.)
- De man, die hier woont, is rijk. (The man, who here lives, is rich.)
Het Boek (The Book)
- Het boek is saai. (The book is boring.)
- Het boek, dat ik lees, is saai. (The book, that I read, is boring.)
Pro Tip 💡
Treat Die and Dat just like Omdat. As soon as you say them, your internal alarm should ring: "KICK THE VERB!" 🚨
Example Sentences
De dame die hier woont, is heel aardig.
The lady who lives here is very nice.
De collega die hier woont, heeft een grand ontwerp gemaakt.
The colleague who lives here has made a grand design.
Het station dat nu gerenoveerd wordt, is reusachtig.
The station that is currently being renovated is gigantic.
De boom die door de bliksem is getroffen, is gevaarlijk.
The tree that was struck by lightning is dangerous.
De man die die pijn in zijn nek voelt, moet naar de fysiotherapeut.
The man who feels pain in his neck needs to go to the physical therapist.