You'll start writing more fluidly once you master combining two separate ideas into a single sentence. This technique helps you move past basic structures and makes your written Dutch sound more natural for the A2 level. Understanding how to use the betrekkelijk voornaamwoord die dat a2 is a requirement if you want to score high points on the writing portion of your exam. You will be able to describe people, objects, and situations with more detail by the time you finish this guide.
Use 'die' for de-words and plurals — Apply the most common relative pronoun for the majority of Dutch nouns.
The word die (who/that) is the workhorse of Dutch relative clauses. You use it to refer back to any de-woord (de-word) in the singular, which accounts for approximately 75% of Dutch nouns. If you are discussing de brief (the letter) or de man (the man), die is the correct choice. For example, De man die daar loopt, werkt bij de gemeente (The man who is walking there works at the municipality). This structure allows you to identify exactly which person you are talking about without starting a new sentence.
Plural nouns always use die regardless of their original gender. Even if the singular word is a het-woord (het-word), like het kind (the child), the plural de kinderen requires die. You might write, De kinderen die in de tuin spelen, zijn vrolijk (The children who are playing in the garden are happy). Many students lose 2 points on their Schrijven (Writing) exam because they forget this plural rule. Always check if your noun is plural before picking your pronoun. If you receive a letter from the IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service), you would refer to it as de brief die ik kreeg.
Use 'dat' for het-words in the singular — Match the relative pronoun to the specific gender of the noun it describes.
Singular het-woorden require the relative pronoun dat (that/which). This category is smaller than de-woorden, but it contains many common terms you'll use daily. You will encounter terms like het huis (the house), het boek (the book), or het formulier (the form) in this category. If you're filling out a paper for the Belastingdienst (Tax Office), you might say, Het formulier dat ik gisteren kreeg, is lang (The form that I received yesterday is long). Correcting these small errors shows the examiner you understand Dutch gender systems.
Consistency with gender is the way to avoid errors here. You cannot swap die and dat based on how the sentence sounds to your ears. If the noun is het meisje (the girl), you must use dat even though you are talking about a person. Het meisje dat daar fietst, is mijn zus (The girl who is cycling there is my sister). This feels strange to English speakers who want to use "who", but Dutch grammar prioritizes the noun's gender over the biological gender of the subject. Use dat for het abonnement (the subscription) or het paspoort (the passport) every single time.
Place the relative clause correctly — Learn where to insert the extra information without breaking the main sentence flow.
A relative clause acts as a descriptive wedge driven into your main sentence. You must place it immediately after the noun it describes. If you place it too far away, the reader won't know which object you're detailing.
Identify the comma placement
Commas are not optional in Dutch relative clauses. You must place a comma before the relative pronoun to signal the start of the extra information. Another comma often marks the end of the clause if the main sentence continues. Look at this sentence: De auto, die rood is, staat voor de deur (The car, which is red, is in front of the door). Without these marks, your text becomes a confusing wall of words for the DUO examiner. Commas help the reader pause and process the sub-clause separately from the main action. Review your practice essays for 10 minutes specifically to find these missing punctuation marks before you submit your work.
Push the verb to the end of the relative clause
Relative clauses follow the word order of a bijzin (subordinate clause). This means the conjugated verb must move to the very end of the clause. In a normal sentence, you say, Ik koop het boek (I buy the book). In a relative clause, the order changes: Het boek dat ik koop, is duur (The book that I am buying is expensive). If you have multiple verbs, they all cluster at the finish line. De man die ik heb gezien, is weg (The man that I have seen is gone). This is the same logic you use with words like omdat (because) or wanneer (when).
Reference people versus reference objects
For the A2 exam, you mainly use die and dat for both people and things. There is a slight change when you use a preposition like met (with) or aan (to) for people. You can use wie in those cases. For example, De vrouw met wie ik praat, is mijn huisarts (The woman with whom I am talking is my GP). However, if you are talking about an object, you use waarmee or waarop instead of met dat. De pen waarmee ik schrijf, is blauw (The pen with which I write is blue). Most students find die and dat easier to remember, so stick to those when possible.
Avoid common pronoun confusion traps — Recognize when 'wat' is used instead of 'dat' for indefinite things.
Confusion often arises between dat and wat (what). You should use wat when the thing you're referring to is indefinite or vague. Specific triggers for wat include alles (everything), iets (something), and niets (nothing), which you will see frequently in daily Dutch conversations. If you tell someone, Alles wat hij zegt, is waar (Everything that he says is true), you are using wat correctly. Using dat in this specific context is a common mistake that marks you as a beginner.
Moreover, you use wat when you are referring back to a whole sentence rather than a single noun. Imagine you passed your exam. You could say, Ik ben geslaagd, wat ik fijn vind (I passed, which I find pleasant). Here, wat refers to the entire situation of passing rather than pointing back to a single specific noun earlier in the sentence. Your zorgverzekeraar (health insurer) might send a letter saying they won't pay, wat erg vervelend is (which is annoying). Recognizing these triggers will help you avoid the most common pronoun traps.
Bottom line
Knowing the difference between die and dat requires a solid grasp of noun genders. If you memorize your de and het words, the grammar falls into place without much extra effort. Use commas to set your clauses apart and remember to kick your verbs to the end of the phrase. This structure is a hallmark of clear, professional Dutch writing.
