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11

Relative clauses

Relative clauses pin extra information onto a noun — who, which, where. The pronoun depends on what you're describing.

who / which / that

A2who (people) · which (things) · that (both)

„who” for people, „which” for things, „that” for both (in defining clauses).

Examples
  • The man who called is my boss.
    PLMężczyzna, który dzwonił, to mój szef.
  • The book which I bought.
    PLKsiążka, którą kupiłem.
  • A car that runs on electricity.
    PLSamochód, który jeździ na prąd.
Common mistake

The book what I read.The book that I read.

„What” isn't a relative pronoun. For things use „that” or „which”: „the book that I read”.

Defining vs non-defining

B1no commas (defining) · commas (extra)

Defining clauses say which one (no commas). Non-defining add extra info (in commas, never „that”).

Examples
  • My brother who lives in Paris is a chef.
    PLMój brat, który mieszka w Paryżu, jest kucharzem (mam kilku braci).
    defining — which brother
  • My brother, who lives in Paris, is a chef.
    PLMój brat, który nawiasem mówiąc mieszka w Paryżu, jest kucharzem.
    non-defining — extra info

whose

B1whose + noun

„Whose” shows possession — „whose”.

Examples
  • The woman whose car was stolen.
    PLKobieta, której samochód ukradziono.

where / when

B1where (place) · when (time)

„where” for place, „when” for time — instead of „in which / on which”.

Examples
  • The town where I grew up.
    PLMiasto, w którym dorastałem.
  • The day when we met.
    PLDzień, w którym się poznaliśmy.

Dropping the pronoun

B1object relative → no pronoun

When the pronoun is the object, you can drop it: „the book (that) I read”.

Examples
  • The film (that) we saw was great.
    PLFilm, który widzieliśmy, był świetny.
    „that” optional as the object