Relativsætning

Relativsætning, also known as a relative clause, is a subordinate clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. These clauses typically begin with a relative pronoun such as "who," "whom," "whose," "which," or "that" in English, and "der," "den," "det," "de," "som," or "hvis" in Danish. Relativsætninger function as adjectives, modifying the noun or pronoun they refer to, which is called the antecedent.

There are two main types of relativsætninger: restrictive and non-restrictive. Restrictive clauses are essential for identifying the antecedent and are not set off by commas. They limit the meaning of the noun they modify. For example, "The book that I borrowed is overdue." Here, "that I borrowed" specifies which book. Non-restrictive clauses, on the other hand, provide extra, non-essential information and are set off by commas. They do not limit the meaning of the antecedent. For instance, "My brother, who lives in London, is visiting next week." The clause "who lives in London" adds information about the brother but is not necessary to identify him.

In Danish, "der" is commonly used as a relative pronoun for subjects, while "som" can be used in many situations, including for objects and after prepositions. "Den," "det," and "de" are used when referring to specific nouns with definite articles. The correct choice of relative pronoun depends on the grammatical function of the antecedent and its gender and number. Understanding relativsætninger is crucial for constructing complex and informative sentences in many languages.