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B1 · Intermediate · Lesson 21

Relative clauses (który)

Join clauses with który — gender from the noun, case from its job.

który ('who / which / that') links two clauses. It takes gender and number from the noun it points back to, but its case from the role it plays inside its own clause — so the same noun can need który, którą or którego.

Refers toSubjectObject
masc. thingktóryktóry
masc. person/animalktóryktórego
femininektóraktórą
neuterktórektóre
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To jest film, który lubię.
This is the film that I like.
Znam kobietę, która tu pracuje.
I know the woman who works here.
Książka, którą czytam…
The book that I'm reading…
Mam kolegę, którego znasz.
I have a friend whom you know.
To miasto, w którym mieszkam.
The city in which I live.
🧠 Tactic — Two-step it: first match który to the noun's gender, then ask 'what is it doing in its own clause?' to pick the case.
⚠️ Watch out — który is for things and people; for 'what / that which' with no antecedent, Polish uses co instead.

Quick check

'the film that I like':

film is masculine inanimate → który.

który agrees with its noun in…

Gender and number; its case comes from its role.

Practice

Now produce the answers yourself — type them, choose the form, or build the sentence.

film, ___ lubię (masc. thing, object)

kobieta, ___ tu pracuje (fem. subject)

książka, ___ czytam (fem. object)

Say: This is the film that I like.

kolega, ___ znasz (masc. person, object)

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