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The pronouns кто (who), что (what), какой, который (which), чей (whose), сколько (how much/many) and насколько (for how much/many) are used to interconnect the parts of a compound sentence.  They are called relative pronouns, because they express relations between the main and dependent clauses of a compound sentence. Take a look at the following examples:

Related Resources • Interrogative Pronouns • Personal Pronouns • Reflexive Pronouns • Cases of Russian Nouns External Links • Demonstrative Pronouns by R. Beard • Possessive Pronouns by R. Beard •  Interrogative Pronouns from R. Beard

Мне рассказали, что ты получил новую работу.
(I was told that you got a new job.)

Дом, в котором мы живём, построили месяц назад.
(The house we live at was built a month ago.)

Мы понимаем, кто нам помог.
(We understand who helped us.)

The relative pronouns кто, что, сколько change by cases in the same manner as their interrogative counterparts кто, что and сколько.

The pronouns какой, какая, какое, какие; который, которая, которые; чей, чья, чьё, чьи change by gender, number and cases (see the table). The gender and number of a pronoun should be the same as the gender and number of the noun it refers to. The choice of the case depends on the verb related with the pronoun. Let's consider an example.

Sentence 1:
Ей нравится книга, которая продаётся в книжном магазине.
(She likes the book, which is being sold in the bookstore.)

Sentence 2:
Ей нравится книга, которую она купила в книжном магазине.
(She likes the book, which she bought in the bookstore.)

In both sentences, the pronouns которая and которую are singular feminine, because they refer to the singular feminine noun книга. However, they have different cases. The nominative case of the pronoun которая is determined by the verb продаётся (она продаётся -- nominative). Similarly, the accusative pronoun которую agrees with the verb купила (купила её -- accusative).

Change by cases

The relative pronouns can be used in couple with the demonstrative pronouns тот, та, то, те, столько. The main clause must include a relative pronoun, while the corresponding demonstrative pronoun is to be placed in the dependent clause.

Та школа, которая славится своими учениками, пользуется большим авторитетом.
(The school, which is famous for its students has great authority.)

Те ребята, что победили в соревнованиях, были награждены.
(Those children who won the contest were awarded.)

У нас столько работы, что мы не закончим её до вечера.
(We have so much work to do that we will not finish it till night.)

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