Relativpronomen im Akkusativ

Relative pronouns in the accusative

When the relative pronoun is the accusative object in the relative clause (the person/thing that „receives" the action), it takes the accusative. As with the article, only the masculine form changes, to "den"; feminine, neuter and plural stay the same.

Tip: ask yourself what role the noun plays inside the relative clause. "Ich sehe den Film" → der Film is the accusative object → der Film, den ich sehe.

Note:

• Only masculine changes: der → den.
• The case comes from the role inside the relative clause, not the main clause.
• The verb still goes to the end.

Examples:

• Der Film, den ich gestern sah, war spannend. (The film I saw yesterday was exciting.)
• Das Buch, das ich lese, ist sehr gut. (The book I'm reading is very good.)
• Die Kollegen, die ich mag, sind nett. (The colleagues I like are nice.)