Relative pronouns are those pronouns which establish a relationship with a noun or noun‑equivalent word used earlier in the sentence. At the same time, they perform the function of joining two sentences or clauses together. Because of this dual role, they are also called connective pronouns or conjunction pronouns.
Relative pronouns ਉਹ pronouns ਹਨ ਜੋ ਵਾਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਵਰਤੇ ਗਏ noun ਜਾਂ noun‑equivalent ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਇਹ ਦੋ sentences ਜਾਂ clauses ਨੂੰ ਜੋੜਨ ਦਾ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸੇ ਕਾਰਨ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ connective pronouns ਜਾਂ conjunction pronouns ਵੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
Common examples include who, which, that, as, but, and what.
For example, in the sentence
- “I met Veena, who was returning from school,”
the word who refers back to the noun Veena and connects the two ideas: “I met Veena” and “Veena was returning from school.”
ਵਾਕ ਵਿੱਚ who ਦਾ ਸੰਬੰਧ Veena ਨਾਲ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਦੋ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜੋੜਦਾ ਹੈ: “ਮੈਂ Veena ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਿਆ” ਅਤੇ “Veena ਸਕੂਲ ਤੋਂ ਵਾਪਸ ਆ ਰਹੀ ਸੀ।” - “Nilu had a book, which she bought at a shop,”
the word which refers to a book and links the clauses: “Nilu had a book” and “She bought it at a shop.”
ਵਾਕ “Nilu had a book, which she bought at a shop” ਵਿੱਚ which ਦਾ ਸੰਬੰਧ a book ਨਾਲ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਦੋ clauses ਨੂੰ ਜੋੜਦਾ ਹੈ: “Nilu ਕੋਲ ਇੱਕ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਸੀ” ਅਤੇ “ਉਸ ਨੇ ਉਹ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਦੁਕਾਨ ਤੋਂ ਖਰੀਦੀ।” - “The pen that my father gave writes well,”
the word that refers to the pen and joins the ideas: “My father gave me a pen” and “The pen writes well.”
ਵਾਕ “The pen that my father gave writes well” ਵਿੱਚ that ਦਾ ਸੰਬੰਧ the pen ਨਾਲ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਦੋ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜੋੜਦਾ ਹੈ: “ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਨੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਪੈਨ ਦਿੱਤਾ” ਅਤੇ “ਉਹ ਪੈਨ ਚੰਗਾ ਲਿਖਦਾ ਹੈ।”
Antecedent
The noun or noun‑equivalent word that comes before the relative pronoun is called the Antecedent. For instance, in the above examples, Veena, a book, and the pen are antecedents of the relative pronouns who, which, and that respectively.
Relative pronoun ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ noun ਜਾਂ noun‑equivalent ਨੂੰ Antecedent ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਪਰੋਕਤ ਉਦਾਹਰਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ Veena, a book, ਅਤੇ the pen antecedents ਹਨ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ who, which, ਅਤੇ that ਸੰਬੰਧ ਦਿਖਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।
Function of Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns also play a specific role in subordinate clauses. In such clauses, they act as connectors while simultaneously functioning as subjects or objects within the clause. This makes them essential for sentence construction, as they avoid repetition and provide smooth, meaningful connections between ideas.
Subordinate clause ਵਿੱਚ relative pronouns ਦੀ ਖਾਸ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਇਹ connectors ਵਜੋਂ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ clause ਦੇ subject ਜਾਂ object ਵਜੋਂ ਵੀ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਇਹ sentence construction ਵਿੱਚ ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਹਨ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਇਹ ਦੁਹਰਾਵੇ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਗਮ ਅਤੇ ਅਰਥਪੂਰਨ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਦੇ ਹਨ।
Rule (1): Relative Pronouns as Subject in Subordinate Clause
Relative pronouns such as who, which, and that are frequently used as the subject within a subordinate clause. In this role, they not only connect the subordinate clause to the main sentence but also perform the grammatical function of the subject inside that clause.
Relative pronouns ਜਿਵੇਂ who, which, ਅਤੇ that subordinate clause ਦੇ subject ਵਜੋਂ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਹ ਨਾ ਸਿਰਫ਼ clause ਨੂੰ main sentence ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਦੇ ਹਨ, ਬਲਕਿ ਉਸ clause ਵਿੱਚ subject ਦੀ grammatical ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਵੀ ਨਿਭਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
For example:
- The boy who came here is a player.
Here, who is the subject of the subordinate clause who came here.
ਇੱਥੇ who subordinate clause who came here ਦਾ subject ਹੈ। - This is the house which is made of marbles.
Here, which is the subject of the subordinate clause which is made of marbles.
ਇੱਥੇ which subordinate clause which is made of marbles ਦਾ subject ਹੈ। - The road that leads to Patna market is being repaired.
Here, that is the subject of the subordinate clause that leads to Patna market.
ਇੱਥੇ that subordinate clause that leads to Patna market ਦਾ subject ਹੈ।
In each case, the relative pronoun refers back to its antecedent (the boy, the house, the road) and simultaneously acts as the subject of the subordinate clause. This dual function highlights the importance of relative pronouns in sentence construction.
ਹਰ ਉਦਾਹਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ relative pronoun ਆਪਣੇ antecedent (the boy, the house, the road) ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ subordinate clause ਦਾ subject ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ relative pronouns sentence construction ਵਿੱਚ ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਹਨ।
Rule (2): Relative Pronouns as Object in Subordinate Clause
Relative pronouns can also function as the object of the verb within a subordinate clause. In this role, they not only connect the subordinate clause to the main sentence but also serve as the grammatical object of the verb inside that clause.
Relative pronouns subordinate clause ਵਿੱਚ verb ਦੇ object ਵਜੋਂ ਵੀ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਹ clause ਨੂੰ main sentence ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ verb ਦੇ object ਵਜੋਂ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ।
For example:
- I have a son whom I love very much.
Here, whom is the object of the verb love in the subordinate clause whom I love very much.
ਇੱਥੇ whom subordinate clause whom I love very much ਵਿੱਚ verb love ਦਾ object ਹੈ। - This is the house which my father built.
Here, which is the object of the verb built in the subordinate clause which my father built.
ਇੱਥੇ which subordinate clause which my father built ਵਿੱਚ verb built ਦਾ object ਹੈ। - The sewing machine that I borrowed broke down yesterday.
Here, that is the object of the verb borrowed in the subordinate clause that I borrowed.
ਇੱਥੇ that subordinate clause that I borrowed ਵਿੱਚ verb borrowed ਦਾ object ਹੈ।
In each case, the relative pronoun refers back to its antecedent (a son, the house, the sewing machine) and simultaneously acts as the object of the verb in the subordinate clause. This shows the flexibility of relative pronouns, as they can function either as subjects or as objects depending on the structure of the sentence.
ਹਰ ਉਦਾਹਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ relative pronoun ਆਪਣੇ antecedent (a son, the house, the sewing machine) ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ subordinate clause ਦੇ verb ਦਾ object ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ relative pronouns sentence construction ਵਿੱਚ subjects ਦੇ ਨਾਲ‑ਨਾਲ objects ਵਜੋਂ ਵੀ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ।
Rule (3): Relative Pronouns as Object of a Preposition in Subordinate Clause
Relative pronouns can also function as the object of a preposition within a subordinate clause. In this role, the relative pronoun not only connects the subordinate clause to the main sentence but also serves as the grammatical object governed by the preposition.
Relative pronouns subordinate clause ਵਿੱਚ preposition ਦੇ object ਵਜੋਂ ਵੀ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਹ clause ਨੂੰ main sentence ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ preposition ਦੇ object ਵਜੋਂ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ।
For example:
- The cot on which I was sitting began to creak.
Here, which is the object of the preposition on in the subordinate clause on which I was sitting.
ਇੱਥੇ which subordinate clause on which I was sitting ਵਿੱਚ preposition on ਦਾ object ਹੈ। - This is the pen with which we usually write.|
Here, which is the object of the preposition with in the subordinate clause with which we usually write.
ਇੱਥੇ which subordinate clause with which we usually write ਵਿੱਚ preposition with ਦਾ object ਹੈ। - She is the girl with whom I lived.
Here, whom is the object of the preposition with in the subordinate clause with whom I lived.
ਇੱਥੇ whom subordinate clause with whom I lived ਵਿੱਚ preposition with ਦਾ object ਹੈ।
In each case, the relative pronoun refers back to its antecedent (the cot, the pen, the girl) and simultaneously acts as the object of the preposition in the subordinate clause. This highlights the versatility of relative pronouns, as they can serve as subjects, objects of verbs, or objects of prepositions depending on sentence structure.
ਹਰ ਉਦਾਹਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ relative pronoun ਆਪਣੇ antecedent (the cot, the pen, the girl) ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ subordinate clause ਵਿੱਚ preposition ਦਾ object ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ relative pronouns sentence construction ਵਿੱਚ subjects, verb objects, ਅਤੇ preposition objects ਵਜੋਂ ਵਰਤੇ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ।