A relative clause, folded forwards
English can put a single participle in front of a noun (the stolen bike). As soon as there is more material, English moves everything behind the noun: the man arrested in Berlin yesterday. German keeps it all in front and widens the gap between the article and the noun.
The same content, twice
der Mann, der gestern in Berlin verhaftet wurde
the man who was arrested in Berlin yesterday
relative clause: this is what you say
der gestern in Berlin verhaftete Mann
the man arrested in Berlin yesterday
folded in front of the noun: this is what you read
These attributes belong to writing: news, contracts, official letters, academic prose. Almost nobody speaks like this. Learn to decode them quickly, and in your own writing keep them short, with two or three words before the participle.
How to read one
A normal adjective can follow an article directly. A preposition or a time word like gestern cannot. That is the signal: after der, die, das you see in, von, seit or gestern, and the noun is still far away. An extended attribute has begun.
Four moves
- 1
Spot the start
The article is followed by a preposition or an adverb, not by the noun.
- 2
Find the end
The participle with the adjective ending stands right before the noun. In der gestern in Berlin verhaftete Mann it is verhaftete, and the noun is Mann.
- 3
Decide the voice
Partizip I: the noun acts (der wartet). Partizip II of a transitive verb: passive (wurde verhaftet). Partizip II of a sein-verb: active (ist angekommen). zu + Partizip I: muss or kann … werden.
- 4
Pour the rest back in
Everything between the article and the participle belonged to the clause: der Mann, der gestern in Berlin verhaftet wurde.
Unpacking practice
| Attribute | Relative clause | English |
|---|---|---|
| der gestern abgeschickte Brief | der Brief, der gestern abgeschickt wurde | the letter sent yesterday |
| die im Garten spielenden Kinder | die Kinder, die im Garten spielen | the children playing in the garden |
| die stark gestiegenen Preise | die Preise, die stark gestiegen sind | the prices that have risen sharply |
| die noch zu klärende Frage | die Frage, die noch geklärt werden muss | the question still to be clarified |
| der von der Behörde abgelehnte Antrag | der Antrag, der von der Behörde abgelehnt wurde | the application rejected by the authority |
Read the left column, cover the right ones, rebuild the clause yourself.
Where you will meet them
Announcements, forms, product descriptions and official letters. Short ones like these are completely normal.
Der aus München kommende Zug hat zehn Minuten Verspätung.
The train coming from Munich is ten minutes late.
station announcements love this construction
Bitte prüfen Sie die von Ihnen angegebenen Daten.
Please check the details you provided.
Die im Preis enthaltenen Leistungen stehen unten.
The services included in the price are listed below.
Schicken Sie bitte das ausgefüllte und unterschriebene Formular zurück.
Please send the completed and signed form back.
two participles share one noun
Die sich schnell verändernde Lage macht Planung schwer.
The rapidly changing situation makes planning difficult.
a reflexive verb keeps its sich inside the attribute
