Free Relative Clauses: "Was Du Sagst, Ist Wahr" Usage

Master the special relative-clause type that doesn’t refer to a noun, but creates its own meaning.

Most relative clauses modify a noun:

• Der Mann, der dort steht …

• Das Buch, das ich lese …

But free relative clauses (freie Relativsätze) don’t depend on any noun.
Instead, they act as nouns themselves and mean things like:

• **what …
  **
• **whatever …
  **
• **whoever …
  **
• **the thing that …
  **

Example:

➡️ **Was du sagst, ist wahr.
**= What you say is true.

This structure is essential for advanced German because it allows you to express:

✔️ general statements
✔️ abstractions
✔️ opinions about actions or facts
✔️ indefinite meanings (“whatever / whoever”)

Let’s break it down.

1. What Is a Free Relative Clause?

A free relative clause is a relative clause that:

✔️ begins with was, wer, wo, wo(r)+Preposition, wie, etc.

✔️ does not modify a noun

✔️ functions as a noun phrase (subject or object)

Example:

**Was er gesagt hat, stimmt nicht.
**= What he said is not true.

Was here stands for “the thing that”.

2. The Most Important Free Relative Pronouns

1. was → what

2. wer → whoever / he who

3. wo → wherever

4. wo(r)+preposition → whatever … about/with/for

5. wie → however (rare)

These create clauses that stand alone without an antecedent.

3. “Was”-Clauses (most common)

Meaning:

• what

• whatever

• the thing(s) that …

Examples:

• **Was du sagst, ist wahr.
  **= What you say is true.

• **Was er will, ist unmöglich.
  **= What he wants is impossible.

• **Was sie brauchen, kostet viel Geld.
  **= What they need costs a lot.

• **Was ich nicht verstehe, ist die Logik dahinter.
  **

Function:

A was-clause can act as:

✔️ subject
✔️ object
✔️ complement

Examples:

• Was passiert, interessiert mich. (subject)

• Ich weiß nicht, was er meint. (object)

4. “Wer”-Clauses (whoever / the one who)

Meaning:

• whoever

• anyone who

• he/she who

Examples:

• **Wer zu spät kommt, muss warten.
  **= Whoever arrives late must wait.

• **Wer hart arbeitet, wird Erfolg haben.
  **

• **Wer das glaubt, irrt sich.
  **

Often used in general rules, abstract statements, and proverbs.

Can also be object:

• Ich helfe, wer Hilfe braucht. (rare but possible in formal/literary style)

5. “Wo”-Clauses (wherever / the place where)

Used less often but powerful in abstract talk.

Examples:

• **Wo du arbeitest, ist es laut.
  **= Where you work, it’s loud.

• Wo Rauch ist, ist auch Feuer. (proverb)

• Wo du hingehst, gehe ich auch hin. (biblical/literary)

6. “Wo(r)+Preposition” Free Relatives

These express “whatever … about”, “whatever … with”, “whatever … for”.

Examples:

• **Woran du denkst, ist dein Geheimnis.
  **= Whatever you are thinking about is your secret.

• **Worüber wir sprechen, bleibt unter uns.
  **= Whatever we talk about stays between us.

• **Womit er arbeitet, ist sehr teuer.
  **= What he works with is very expensive.

• **Wofür du kämpfst, ist mutig.
  **= What you are fighting for is brave.

These look like prepositional relatives but without a noun to refer to-they refer to abstract concepts.

7. “Wie”-Clauses (rare, but exist)

Used mainly in idioms, formal writing, or comparisons:

• **Wie er arbeitet, beeindruckt mich.
  **= The way he works impresses me.

• **Wie du es machst, ist egal.
  **= However you do it doesn’t matter.

8. Free Relative Clauses vs. Indirect Questions

They often look identical, but function differently.

Free Relative Clause:

**Was er sagt, ist falsch.
**= The thing he says is false.
(acts like a noun)

Indirect Question:

Ich weiß nicht, was er sagt.
= I don’t know what he is saying.
(acts like the content of a question)

**Tip:
**Free relative = **statement
**Indirect question = question embedded in a verb like wissen, fragen, sagen

9. Free Relatives as Subjects + Objects in Same Sentence (C1)

Example:

**Was du sagst, beeinflusst, was andere denken.
**= What you say influences what others think.

Here two was-clauses play different roles.

10. Free Relative Clauses with Modal Meaning

They can express “whatever” or “no matter what”.

Examples:

• **Was auch immer du willst, bekommst du.
  **
• **Wer auch immer anruft, sag ich bin nicht da.
  **
• **Wo auch immer du hingehst, folge ich dir.
  **

These forms appear in formal, poetic, and high-level writing.

11. Do NOT use free relatives for people with “was.”

Incorrect:
❌ _Was da steht, ist mein Vater.
_(“what stands there is my father” - wrong)

Correct:
✔️ Wer dort steht, ist mein Vater.

Use wer for people, was for things and ideas.

12. Practice Section (With Solutions)

A. Identify the type

• **Was du willst, bekommst du.
  **→ free relative (subject)

• Ich weiß nicht, was er meint.
  → indirect question

• **Wer viel arbeitet, verdient viel.
  **→ free relative (general rule)

• Woran du denkst, interessiert mich.
  → free relative (object)

B. Rewrite using free relatives

• _Alles, was du sagst, ist wichtig.
  _→ **Was du sagst, ist wichtig.
  **
• _Jede Person, die hilft, ist willkommen.
  _→ **Wer hilft, ist willkommen.
  **
• _Die Sache, über die wir sprechen, ist kompliziert.
  _→ **Worüber wir sprechen, ist kompliziert.
  **

C. Complete the sentences

• **Was du entscheidest, …
  **→ _… akzeptiere ich.
  _
• **Wer anklopft, …
  **→ _… darf eintreten.
  _
• **Womit du arbeitest, …
  **→ _… ist beeindruckend.
  _

13. Summary Cheat Sheet

Core pronouns:

• was → what/whatever

• wer → whoever

• wo → where(ever)

• woran / worauf / wofür / womit / worüber → whatever … about/with/on

• wie → however / the way

Functions:

• subject: _Was du sagst, stimmt.
  _
• object: _Ich weiß, was du meinst.
  _
• complement: _Das ist, was ich brauche.
  _

Key distinctions:

• “was/Wo/Wer”-clauses = **free relatives
  **
• “was in indirect questions” = **embedded questions
  **
• do not use was for people → use _wer
  _