hvad (relativpronomen)
What / Which (Free Relative) (Hvad)
Use hvad to mean 'what' (that which) or to refer back to a whole sentence ('which').
How It Works
The relative pronoun hvad serves two primary functions in Danish:
1. Free Relative ('What'): It acts as a 'headless' relative, meaning it doesn't need a noun before it. It translates to 'what' or 'that which.'
Example: Jeg forstår ikke, hvad han siger. (I don't understand what he is saying.)
2. Sentential Relative ('Which'): It refers back to an entire clause or situation rather than a single word. While hvilket is used in formal writing for this, hvad is the standard choice in spoken Danish.
Example: Han kom for sent, hvad irriterede mig. (He arrived late, which annoyed me.)
The 'der' Rule:
Just like with indirect questions, if hvad is the subject of the relative clause, you must add der immediately after it. If it is the object, you use hvad alone.
- Jeg ved, hvad der skete. (I know what happened. 'Hvad' is the subject.)
- Jeg ved, hvad du gjorde. (I know what you did. 'Hvad' is the object.)
Examples (5)
- Jeg ved ikke, hvad han tænker på.
I don't know what he is thinking about.
Word by Word: I know not, what he thinks on.
Here 'hvad' is a free relative acting as the object of the preposition 'på'.
- Hvad der end sker, så elsker jeg dig.
Whatever happens, I love you.
Word by Word: What there even happens, then love I you.
Because 'hvad' is the subject of the clause 'hvad der end sker', the placeholder 'der' must be included.
- Hun vandt i lotto, hvad der overraskede alle.
She won the lottery, which surprised everyone.
Word by Word: She won in lottery, what there surprised everyone.
In this case, 'hvad' refers to the entire fact that she won the lottery. 'Der' is added because 'hvad' is the subject of 'overraskede'.
- Du må gøre, hvad du vil.
You may do what you want.
Word by Word: You may do, what you will.
A common free relative usage where 'hvad' acts as the object of the verb 'vil'.
- Han glemte sin taske, hvad jeg godt vidste.
He forgot his bag, which I well knew.
Word by Word: He forgot his bag, what I well knew.
Here 'hvad' refers to the whole previous clause. No 'der' is needed because 'jeg' is the subject.
Common Mistakes
Omitting 'der' when 'hvad' is the subject.
Jeg ved ikke, hvad skete.Jeg ved ikke, hvad der skete.In Danish, relative 'hvad' (and 'hvem') cannot stand alone as a subject; it requires the placeholder 'der'.
Using 'som' to refer to a whole clause.
Han løj, som var dumt.Han løj, hvad der var dumt.In English, we use 'which' for both nouns and clauses. In Danish, 'som' only refers to nouns. To refer to a whole clause, use 'hvad' or 'hvilket'.
Using 'hvad' to refer to a specific noun.
Her er bogen, hvad jeg købte.Her er bogen, som jeg købte.'Hvad' cannot refer to a specific noun like 'bogen'. You must use 'som' or 'der' for nouns.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'hvad' as a relative pronoun, you need to understand its basic meaning as 'what', how to structure subordinate clauses in Danish, and how the particle 'der' acts as a subject marker in dependent clauses.
Related Patterns
- somWho / Which / That (Som)
'Som' is the standard relative pronoun for nouns, whereas 'hvad' is for ideas and clauses.
Level 2 - der (relativpronomen)Who / Which as Subject (Der)
'Der' is used as a relative pronoun for nouns when it is the subject, similar to how 'hvad der' works for ideas.
Level 2 - hvilket (relativpronomen)Which (Referring to a Clause) (Hvilket)
'Hvilket' is the formal/written alternative to 'hvad' when referring back to a whole clause.
Level 3 - det der/det somThat Which (Det Der/det Som)
These are alternative ways to say 'that which' or 'what' when emphasizing a specific thing.
Level 4 - Word Order In Subordinate Clauses
Relative clauses using 'hvad' follow subordinate clause word order rules.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice hvad (relativpronomen) in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Danish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
