Dropping Som

Level 2

Just like in English, you can drop the word 'som' (that/which) if it isn't the subject of the sentence. For example: 'The book [that] I read' becomes 'Bogen, jeg læste'.

How It Works

In Danish, relative clauses are often introduced by som. However, in natural spoken and informal written Danish, this word is frequently dropped to make speech faster and more direct.

The Golden Rule:

  • Object Position: You can drop it. (e.g., 'The man [whom] I saw' -> 'Manden, jeg så').
  • Subject Position: You CANNOT drop it. (e.g., 'The man who lives here' -> 'Manden, der bor her').

Register and Usage:
Dropping 'som' is the standard in everyday conversation. Keeping it makes the sentence sound more formal, emphatic, or academic. While modern grammarians often classify 'som' as a conjunction rather than a pronoun, for learners, it is easiest to think of it as the Danish equivalent of 'that' or 'whom'.

Prepositions:
When 'som' is the object of a preposition, the preposition is usually 'stranded' at the end of the clause when 'som' is dropped. For example: 'Pigen, (som) jeg talte om' (The girl [whom] I talked about).

Examples (4)

  1. Bogen, jeg læser, er spændende.

    The book [that] I am reading is exciting.

    Word by Word: Book-the, I read, is exciting.

    Here, 'som' is the object of 'læser' (I read the book), so it can be omitted.

  2. Det er den pige, jeg talte om.

    That is the girl [whom] I talked about.

    Word by Word: It is that girl, I talked about.

    In this case, 'som' would be the object of the preposition 'om'. When dropped, the preposition stays at the end.

  3. Maden, de serverer her, er god.

    The food [that] they serve here is good.

    Word by Word: Food-the, they serve here, is good.

    Since 'de' (they) is the subject, 'som' is the object and can be removed.

  4. Hvor er den gave, du fik?

    Where is the gift [that] you got?

    Word by Word: Where is that gift, you got?

    A common everyday question where 'som' is almost always omitted in speech.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the relative pronoun when it is the subject of the clause.

    Jeg kender en mand, bor i Aarhus.
    Jeg kender en mand, der bor i Aarhus.

    You cannot drop the relative pronoun if it is the subject. In this case, you must use 'der' (or 'som').

  • Using 'der' as an object and then trying to drop it.

    Bogen, der jeg læser...
    Bogen, jeg læser...

    'Der' can only be a subject. For objects, you use 'som' or nothing at all.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Dropping SomLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand relative pronoun omission, you must first be comfortable using 'som' to connect clauses. You also need to distinguish between subjects and objects, as 'som' can only be dropped when it functions as the object of the relative clause. Finally, familiarity with subordinate clause word order is necessary to ensure the sentence remains grammatically correct after the omission.

Words in This Pattern

som