German reference words: dieser, derjenige, darauf, was and wo

Reference and case are separate questions

A demonstrative identifies a referent; its ending reflects the phrase’s role. In a structure with derjenige, the main expression and relative pronoun each receive their own case. They do not have to look alike.

Ich danke demjenigen, der die Tür geöffnet hat.

I thank the person who opened the door.

A reference can point forward

A da-compound need not replace an earlier noun. It can announce an event expressed in the next clause. The verb’s preposition still determines the form: waiting for an event uses darauf, while expecting something with rechnen mit uses damit.

Nora wartet darauf, dass der Kurs beginnt.

Nora is waiting for the course to begin.

Was and wo are not universal replacements

Relative was can follow alles or refer to a whole preceding statement. Locative wo naturally follows a place name. For a concrete noun such as a house, a preposition plus relative pronoun often gives a clearer standard expression.

Bonn, wo Nora arbeitet, ist nicht weit.

Bonn, where Nora works, is not far away.

Practise this pattern

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Related grammar

• Darauf, davon, damit and es before German dass clauses
• German relative pronouns: dem, denen, dessen and deren
• Editing German sentences: agreement, pronoun reference and faithful shortening
• German relative clauses: der, die, das or den?
• Explore the German grammar path

References

Original explanations and examples informed by grammar references. Level placement is an editorial teaching choice.

• IDS grammis: Pronomen