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Sometimes I get confused, as to when to use wo-clauses, da-clauses and präpositions + D.
I know this isn't the best example, but it's the only simple one i can think of at the moment.
But can anyone help clear up or explain, when to use which.

Ich bin im Gebiet, in dem eine große Statue liegt
Ich bin im Gebiet, worin eine große Statue liegt
Ich bin im Gebiet, darin eine große Statue liegt
Ich bin im Gebiet, wo eine große Statue liegt

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    In all of these sentences you would say »Ich bin in dem Gebiet, [...]«, because you later refer to a very specific area, not just any. E.g. »Ich bin im Restaurant.« versus »Ich bin in dem Restaurant, in dem ein großes Aquarium am Eingang steht.«).
    – Raketenolli
    Commented Sep 12, 2021 at 16:34
  • Oh i see, my bad, thank you!
    – Senor Jo
    Commented Sep 14, 2021 at 13:43
  • I know that you ask for formal linguistic correctness - but all four variants are awful German. As Raketenolli comments, it would be better to say "Ich bin in dem Gebiet". The subordinate clause "in dem eine große Statue liegt" is not very clear. Do you mean that the statue is lying in the literal sense (i.e. has been fallen down and is lying on the ground) or that the statue is located in the area? In the latter case you would say ""in dem sich eine große Statue befindet".
    – Paul Frost
    Commented Oct 1, 2021 at 22:29

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The only incorrect sentence is the one with darin. That would have to be two sentences, i.e.

Ich bin im Gebiet. Darin liegt eine große Statue.

Worin is basically the same as wo, but a bit more specified.

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    Just an addition: "darin" a relative pronoun used to be a (now pretty much outdated) synonym of "worin". See dwds.de/wb/darin Bedeutung 3.
    – HalvarF
    Commented Sep 12, 2021 at 11:10
  • so are darin and worin basically the same thing? And darin can only be used if the 2 sentences are seperated by a comma?
    – Senor Jo
    Commented Sep 14, 2021 at 13:49
  • Darin only makes sense when the location has been defined before so it can/ must stand alone, it is a location-meaning word while worin always has a relation to the location itself. Its a bit like in english with where and there. I am in an area where a big statue is vs. I am in an area there is a big statue => I am in an area. There is a big statue.
    – Alex
    Commented Sep 16, 2021 at 8:32
  • I wouldn't necessarily call it "incorrect" but a poetic variant.
    – YetiCGN
    Commented Sep 16, 2021 at 12:14
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I would say "wo" is where, and "worin" is wherein and "darin" is therein.

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