welches

Welches is a German word that functions as an interrogative determiner and as a relative pronoun, meaning which or what. It is used to identify one item from a known set or to introduce a relative clause referring to a neuter noun.

As an interrogative determiner, welches precedes a noun and agrees with its gender and case. For example: Welches Buch hast du gelesen? (Which book did you read?) Welches Auto ist deins? (Which car is yours?) In the neuter singular, welches is the standard form for both nominative and accusative. Other gender and number forms include der/den for masculine, die for feminine and plural in corresponding cases.

As a relative pronoun, welches introduces a relative clause and refers to a neuter noun from the main clause, as in: Das Buch, welches ich gelesen habe, war spannend. In everyday speech, many speakers also use das ... das + clause instead of welches, but welches remains correct and common in more formal contexts.

Declension and usage notes: welches is the neuter singular form used in questions and relative clauses; masculine, feminine, and plural forms vary (for example, welcher for masculine nominative; welche for feminine nominative and all plural forms). The choice depends on the gender and case of the noun being described or referenced.

Overall, welches is a versatile element of German grammar, central to forming specific inquiries and connecting clauses about a neuter noun, with broader usage in formal writing and precise reference.