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Wie (who, whom)

B2Pronouns · lesson 56 of 57

We use _wie:_

  1. as a translation of whom: "The person with whom I was talking"
  2. without an antecedent: " (He) who is without sin cast the first stone"

_Wie_ as a translation of 'whom'

For the relative pronoun 'who' the Dutch say [die](#/lesson/Pronouns.Rl03). When this pronoun is preceded by a preposition, the Dutch say _wie_.

De buurvrouw voor wie hij jaren heeft gezorgd.

Not:.. ~~voor die~~ hij jaren heeft gezorgd. | The neighbour whom he has been taking care of for years.

[".. of whom he has been taking care of ]

De klasgenoot aan wie hij die vraag stelde.

Not:.. ~~aan die~~ hij die vraag stelde. | The class mate whom he asked that question to.

["...to whom he asked that question"]

You may have heard something like "De buurvrouw _waar_ hij jaren _voor_ heeft gezorgd" en "De klasgenoot _waar_ hij die vraag _aan_ stelde".

_Waarvoor_ and _waaraan_ are [pronominal adverbs](#/lesson/Pronouns.Ad02), which we should not use when we refer to persons.

_Wie_ in the sense of 'he who'

Where the English say 'he who', the Dutch say _wie_. You can also say _hij die_ or _zij die_ but _wie_ is by far the most common.

Wie zijn billen brandt, moet op de blaren zitten. | He who burns his bottom will have to sit on blisters.

Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander, valt er zelf in. | He who digs a hole (trap) for someone else will fall in it himself.

Wie een prins wil trouwen, moet veel kikkers kussen. | She who wants to marry a prince has to kiss many frogs.

The example sentences are Dutch proverbs.

Wat (that, what, which) Wiens and wier (whose)
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