Relative clauses
A relative clause is one which is connected to the main clause by a
relative pronoun (part of qui quae quod). The verb in a relative clause should
normally be indicative.
The relative pronoun
needs to connect somehow with something else, called it antecedent (thing
coming before it). In other words, it relates to something or someone expressed
earlier in the sentence. It also needs to agree with the antecedent, in number
(singular/plural) and in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). Its case is
determined by the clause itself.
Eg
puer, quem in taberna vidi, multum
vinum bibebat
The boy, whom I saw in the pub, was
drinking a lot of wine.
quem here is masculine
and singular, because the boy is masculine and singular.
It is accusative because
I saw him.
In order to identify
which case the relative pronoun is in, it sometimes helps to substitute another
pronoun in English (he - him, or *they* - them).
Caesar amicos, qui eum necaverunt, habebant.
Caesar had friends who killed him.
qui here is maculine and
plural, to reflect his friends (amicos).
However, it is nominative
(not accusative like its antecedent) because *they* killed him.
This page was written by: Alex Fahmy