Get To Know the 6 Spanish Relative Pronouns

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You probably have a primary understanding of Spanish grammar, you’ll be able to probably assemble easy sentences to precise single concepts. By including relative pronouns to your linguistic repertoire, you’ll be able to add particulars to your sentences to convey extra advanced ideas. 

Mastering relative pronouns in Spanish can assist you are taking your Spanish to the subsequent degree. After getting the fundamentals of this information down, you’ll be able to apply utilizing them with skilled language instructors by Rosetta Stone Tutoring to speed up your studying. 

What are Spanish relative pronouns?

Relative pronouns are becoming a member of phrases that join concepts. They supply further particulars about an individual, factor, or concept to type extra subtle and informative sentences and are the English equivalents of “that,” “which,” “who,” and “whom.” Whereas relative pronouns have distinct makes use of, they typically accomplish the identical objective as different Spanish pronouns: to create fluid, natural-sounding sentences with out repetition. 

The next sentences don’t use relative pronouns and specific single concepts: 

• Mi amiga Mariana es de Cartagena. = My buddy Mariana is from Cartagena. 
• Mi amiga Mariana se mudó al lado. = My buddy Mariana moved subsequent door. 

In a dialog, these sentences could possibly be mixed with the relative pronoun quien (who) to make a extra cohesive assertion with out having to repeat mi amiga Mariana.

• Mi amiga Mariana, quien es de Cartagena, se mudó al lado. = My buddy Mariana, who’s from Cartagena, moved subsequent door. 

Spanish relative pronouns listing

The desk beneath introduces the six relative pronouns used to attach concepts in Spanish. The suitable relative pronoun is set by its distance from the antecedent (the Spanish noun it refers to) and the antecedent’s kind.

The way to use pronombres relativos (relative pronouns) in Spanish

As with different Spanish grammar ideas, immersion and apply are key to mastering relative pronouns. Many have shared definitions, so memorization alone isn’t sufficient. By exploring the makes use of of every pronoun in context, you’ll acquire a deeper understanding of the variations and be capable to use them confidently when talking and writing in Spanish. 

Use que to consult with individuals, objects, and concepts

Essentially the most regularly used relative pronoun, que, introduces particulars about an individual, object, or concept. It’s one of many best relative pronouns to make use of as a result of it doesn’t change in accordance with quantity (singular or plural) or gender (masculine or female). 

Que is usually positioned immediately after the antecedent (the noun being referred to) with none phrase or grammatical pause in between. 

When referring to a spot or a factor, que interprets as “that” or much less generally, “which.”

• La hamburguesa que comí anoche me dio un gran dolor de estómago. = The hamburger (that) I ate final night time gave me an enormous abdomen ache. 
• Voy a donar los libros que ya he leído. = I’m going to donate the books (which) I’ve already learn. 

When referring to an individual, it interprets to “that,” “who,” or “whom.”

• Conozco a una mujer que trabaja para el FBI. = I do know a girl who works for the FBI. 
• Las personas que vivían aquí eran muy amables. = The individuals who lived right here had been very good.

When you search for the phrase “who” in any Spanish dictionary, you’ll discover its major translation is quien. Nevertheless, que is usually the popular relative pronoun to supply further details about individuals in Spanish. There are a couple of cases the place quien is most popular, as follows. 

Use quien to consult with an individual after a preposition or comma

Quien and its plural type quienes are used as a substitute of que to precise “who” or “whom” when there’s a preposition that separates the relative pronoun from its antecedent. Prepositions are important Spanish elements of speech that join nouns to different phrases in a sentence. 

A (to/at), de (of/from), en (in), con (with), sin (with out), para (for), and por (for) are widespread prepositions that proceed the relative pronouns quien and quienes. 

• El hombre a quien vi esta mañana en el parque period muy guapo. = The person (who) I noticed this morning within the park was very good-looking. 
• Las chicas con quienes juego al tenis son muy competitivas. = The women (who) I play tennis with are very aggressive. 

Quien can also be generally used so as to add element about an individual when there’s a grammatical pause after the antecedent, akin to a comma. For instance:

• Mi hermana, quien tiene cinco niños, va a empezar un negocio. = My sister, who has 5 children, goes to start out a enterprise. 

Add the particular article in entrance of que (to make el que) after a comma or one-word preposition

Like quien, el que and its associated varieties are used when there’s a separation between the relative pronoun and its antecedent, akin to a preposition or comma. The el que relative pronoun group is primarily utilized in written Spanish to refer to things however may also consult with individuals together with the verb ser (to be) to precise “the one who.”

To make use of this relative pronoun group appropriately, it’s necessary to be accustomed to Spanish gender guidelines in grammar. El que adjustments to la que, los que, or las que to agree with the antecedent in quantity and gender.

• El restaurante al que vamos tiene una estrella Michelin. =  The restaurant (that) we’re going to has a Michelin star. 
• Mi novia es la que siempre está ahí para mí. = My girlfriend is the one who is at all times there for me. 
• Esos son los vecinos de los que he estado quejándome. = These are the neighbors (who) I’ve been complaining about. 
• Vi las películas de las que me había hablado. = I noticed the flicks (that) you instructed me about.

As demonstrated by the primary instance, each time the preposition a is adopted by the particular article el, they’re mixed to type al. 

Use el cual as a substitute of el que after compound prepositions

El cual and its associated varieties (la cual, los cuales, and las cuales) are synonymous with el que and its varieties. They consult with individuals, objects, and concepts, particularly when adopted by a preposition or a grammatical pause. El cual should agree in gender and quantity with its antecedent.

Like el que, el cual is extra widespread in written Spanish, particularly after compound prepositions and sure expressions of amount. 

• El baniano, debajo del cual me sentaba a leer, tiene más de trescientos años. = The banyan, beneath which I woud sit to learn, is over 300 years previous.
• Todas las habitaciones son grandes, algunas de las cuales tienen vestidores. = All of the rooms are massive, a few of which have walk-in closets. 

As proven within the first instance, each time the preposition de is adopted by the particular article el, they mix to type the contraction del. 

Use the neuter pronouns lo que and lo cual to consult with summary concepts and conditions

The neuter relative pronouns lo que (what/which) and lo cual (which) consult with summary antecedents and don’t change in gender or quantity. They primarily consult with an concept or state of affairs already talked about in the identical sentence. 

• Mi padre tiene que mudarse a una residencia de ancianos, lo que me pone muy triste. = My dad has to maneuver right into a retirement residence, which makes me very unhappy. 
• Mi esposo quiere reparar el techo él mismo, lo cual no me parece buena concept. =  My husband needs to repair the roof himself, which doesn’t seem to be a good suggestion to me. 

Lo que and lo cual are principally interchangeable, however solely lo que can introduce concepts initially of a sentence. For instance:

• Lo que me gusta de este lugar es el ambiente acogedor. = What I like about this place is the comfy environment. 

The way to use the relative adverb donde 

Typically thought-about a relative pronoun as a result of its comparable grammatical goal, donde is a relative adverb used to explain a spot that has been beforehand talked about in a sentence.

• Estoy en el café donde nos conocimos por primera vez. = I’m on the espresso store the place we first met. 
• Este es el restaurante adonde fuimos para cenar la semana pasada. = That is the restaurant the place we went to have dinner final week. 

As seen within the second instance, adonde is used with verbs of movement and course, akin to ir (to go). 

Frequent errors when utilizing relative pronouns 

Studying Spanish could be a problem, and making errors is regular. A very powerful factor is to be taught from them and preserve practising. By familiarizing your self with these widespread errors newbies make when utilizing relative pronouns, you’ll be one step nearer to utilizing them confidently. 

Relative pronouns ought to by no means have accents

Whereas Spanish accent marks could seem minor, they immediately have an effect on the that means and utilization of phrases.

For instance, que (that) with out an accent is a relative pronoun whereas qué (what) with an accent is an interrogative. They serve completely different functions in a sentence. For instance: 

• ¿Qué es eso? = What is that? 
• Es un Walkman antiguo que encontré en el ático. = It’s an previous Walkman that I discovered within the attic. 

Equally, quien (who) with out an accent is a relative pronoun whereas quién (who) with an accent is an interrogative.

• ¿Quién es la persona a quien admiras más? = Who is the particular person you admire probably the most?
• La persona a quien admiro más es mi hermana. = The particular person (who) I like probably the most is my sister. 

Cuyo is a relative adjective with completely different guidelines of settlement

Whereas some sources about Spanish relative pronouns might embody cuyo (whose), it’s necessary to notice that this phrase features as a possessive adjective, not a relative pronoun. Not like relative pronouns, cuyo and its associated varieties cuya, cuyos, and cuyas agree with the noun they modify, not the antecedent.

Within the first instance, cuyo adjustments to agree in quantity and gender with the possessed noun (hijos), not the possessor (la mujer). 

• Esa es la mujer cuyos hijos van a un internado en Suiza. = That’s the lady whose children go to boarding faculty in Switzerland. 
• La novela, cuyo autor es anónimo, ha sido traducida a varios idiomas. = The novel, whose writer is nameless, has been translated into many languages. 

Relative pronouns in Spanish can’t be omitted 

English grammar guidelines enable audio system to go away out relative pronouns in circumstances the place they sound unnatural or clunky. In Spanish, alternatively, you’ll be able to’t omit relative pronouns. For instance:

• Preparé la pasta que te gusta. = I made the pasta (that) you want.

In Spanish, que is necessary, whereas “that” is non-obligatory in English. 

Key takeaways for navigating Spanish relative pronouns 

Relative pronouns assist make your Spanish sentences extra strong by permitting you to attach concepts and add necessary particulars. Bear in mind these 4 key takeaways to enhance your grammar expertise and specific your self extra successfully in Spanish.

• Relative pronouns in Spanish help you consult with the antecedent with out having to repeat it, creating extra natural-sounding sentences. 
• The relative pronouns que, el que, and el cual can consult with individuals and objects, whereas quien can solely consult with individuals. 
• The neuter relative pronouns lo que and lo cual consult with summary concepts or conditions.
• The relative adverb donde is used to consult with a spot that has already been talked about in the identical sentence. 
• The relative adjective cuyo should agree in gender and quantity with the noun it modifies, not with the antecedent.