Relative Clause With A Preposition
When a relative clause describes something that is the object of a preposition (like 'the house I live in'), Danish places that preposition at the very end of the clause.
How It Works
In Danish, when a noun is the object of a preposition within a relative clause, the preposition is 'stranded' at the end.
Key Rules:
- Relative Word: You must use som or a 'zero relative' (omitting the word). You cannot use der because der can only function as a subject.
- Punctuation: Danish traditionally uses a 'start-comma' before the relative clause, even if the relative pronoun is omitted.
- Word Order: The preposition stays at the end of the relative clause. Crucially, if the clause contains a sentence adverb like ikke or aldrig, it must be placed before the verb, following the subordinate clause word order.
- Register: This is the standard, correct way to speak and write. Placing the preposition at the front (e.g., med hvem) sounds extremely stiff or archaic.
- Omission: In natural Danish, som is very frequently omitted when it is the object of a preposition.
Examples (4)
- Huset, som jeg bor i, er meget gammelt.
The house that I live in is very old.
Word by Word: House-the, which I live in, is very old.
Here, 'i' (in) is placed at the end of the relative clause 'som jeg bor i'.
- Det er ikke noget, jeg kan hjælpe med.
That is not something I can help with.
Word by Word: That is not something, I can help with.
In this example, 'som' is omitted entirely, and the preposition 'med' remains at the end.
- Manden, jeg ikke talte med, er min nabo.
The man I didn't talk to is my neighbor.
Word by Word: Man-the, I not talked with, is my neighbor.
Notice that in relative clauses, the negation 'ikke' must come before the verb, while the preposition 'med' stays at the end.
- Her er bogen, jeg ledte efter.
Here is the book I was looking for.
Word by Word: Here is book-the, I looked after.
The phrasal verb 'lede efter' (look for) is split, with 'efter' stranded at the end of the clause.
Common Mistakes
Using 'der' instead of 'som' with a preposition.
Pigen, der jeg tænker på, er sød.Pigen, som jeg tænker på, er sød.'Der' can only be the subject of a relative clause. Since 'pigen' is the object of the preposition 'på', you must use 'som' or nothing at all.
Trying to place the preposition before 'som'.
Huset, i som jeg bor...Huset, som jeg bor i...In Danish, 'som' can never follow a preposition. The preposition must be moved to the end of the clause.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn relative clauses with prepositions, you first need to understand how basic relative clauses are formed using 'som'. You must also be familiar with common prepositions and the rule that allows the relative pronoun to be omitted when it is not the subject of the clause, as this often leaves the preposition 'stranded' at the end.
- Dropping Som
Understanding when 'som' can be dropped is essential, as prepositions are frequently stranded at the end of the clause when the pronoun is omitted.
Level 2 - medWith
Knowledge of basic prepositions like 'med' or 'i' is necessary to understand how they function when moved to the end of a relative clause.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- somWho / Which / That (Som)
'Som' is the primary relative particle used in this construction.
Level 2 - der (relativpronomen)Who / Which as Subject (Der)
'Der' is often confused with 'som', but it cannot be used when a preposition is involved.
Level 2 - hvilken/hvilket/hvilkeWhich
These formal relative pronouns are the only ones that can follow a preposition directly (e.g., 'i hvilket'), though this is rare.
Level 1 - Fixed Verb-Preposition Combinations
Many stranded prepositions come from fixed verb-preposition combinations.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Relative Clause With A Preposition in Bubblegum
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