Structure and Relative Pronouns
Relative subordinate clauses consist of a main clause and a subordinate clause linked by a relative pronoun The relative pronoun connects the two clauses and refers back to a noun in the main clause known as the antecedentRelative Pronouns
Que The most commonly used relative pronoun que can refer to people animals or things It is versatile and appears in both defining and nondefining clauses
Example El libro que leí es interesante The book that I read is interesting
Quien singular and quienes plural These pronouns specifically refer to people and are often used after prepositions or when the antecedent is clear
Example La persona a quien conocí es amable The person whom I met is kind
El cual la cual los cuales and las cuales These are more formal and typically used in written Spanish or after prepositions They must agree in gender and number with the antecedent
Example La casa en la cual vivíamos era grande The house in which we lived was big
Cuyo cuya cuyos and cuyas These pronouns mean whose and indicate possession agreeing in gender and number with the noun they modify
Example El hombre cuyo coche se descompuso es mi vecino The man whose car broke down is my neighbor
Types of Relative Subordinate Clauses
Relative subordinate clauses are categorized into defining restrictive and nondefining nonrestrictive clauses
Defining Restrictive Relative Clauses
Defining relative clauses provide essential information about the antecedent specifying exactly which person or thing is being referred to Omitting this clause would make the sentence incomplete or less precise
Example El libro que compré ayer es muy interesante The book that I bought yesterday is very interesting
In this example que compré ayer specifies which book is being talked about
NonDefining NonRestrictive Relative Clauses
Nondefining relative clauses add extra information about the antecedent but do not restrict its reference These clauses are usually set off by commas in writing and can be omitted without altering the main meaning of the sentence
Example Mi hermano que vive en Madrid viene de visita My brother who lives in Madrid is coming to visit
In this example que vive en Madrid provides additional information about the brother but is not essential to the sentences core meaning
Using Relative Pronouns
Que
Que is the most flexible and frequently used relative pronoun It can refer to both people and things and is suitable for both defining and nondefining clauses
Example La chica que conocí ayer es muy simpática The girl whom I met yesterday is very nice
QuienQuienes
Quien and quienes are used specifically for people and often appear after prepositions
Example La mujer a quien viste en la tienda es mi profesora The woman whom you saw in the store is my teacher
Example Los estudiantes con quienes hablé son muy inteligentes The students with whom I spoke are very intelligent
El cualLa cualLos cualesLas cuales
These forms are more formal and often follow prepositions or are used for clarity in complex sentences
Example La casa en la cual crecí fue demolida The house in which I grew up was demolished
Example Los libros de los cuales hablamos son muy antiguos The books about which we talked are very old
CuyoCuyaCuyosCuyas
These forms indicate possession and must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify
Example La niña cuya madre es doctora ganó el premio The girl whose mother is a doctor won the prize
Example El hombre cuyos hijos están en la universidad es muy orgulloso The man whose children are in college is very proud
Practical Examples in Different Contexts
To better understand how relative subordinate clauses function consider these additional examples in various contexts
Everyday Conversations
El coche que compré es muy rápido The car that I bought is very fast
Mi amigo quien vive en Nueva York me visitará pronto My friend who lives in New York will visit me soon
Academic Contexts
El profesor cuyo libro leímos es muy conocido The professor whose book we read is very wellknown
Los estudiantes que participaron en el proyecto obtuvieron buenas calificaciones The students who participated in the project received good grades
Professional Settings
El proyecto en el cual estamos trabajando es muy innovador The project on which we are working is very innovative
La empresa que fue fundada en 1990 es líder en su sector The company which was founded in 1990 is a leader in its sector
Nuances and Special Cases
Omission of the Relative Pronoun
In some instances especially in spoken Spanish the relative pronoun que can be omitted if it functions as the direct object of the subordinate clause
Example El libro que estoy leyendo es muy interesante The book that I am reading is very interesting
Relative Adverbs
Relative adverbs such as donde where cuando when and como how can also introduce relative subordinate clauses providing additional information about place time and manner
Example La ciudad donde nací es muy pequeña The city where I was born is very small
Example El día cuando nos conocimos fue inolvidable The day when we met was unforgettable
Use in Complex Sentences
Relative subordinate clauses can be nested within other subordinate clauses creating complex and detailed sentences
Example El estudiante que ganó el premio cuyo proyecto fue el mejor se siente muy orgulloso The student who won the prize whose project was the best feels very proud
Example La mujer a quien conocí que trabaja en la universidad es muy inteligente The woman whom I met who works at the university is very intelligent
Tips for Mastering Relative Subordinate Clauses
Understand the Antecedent Always identify the noun the relative pronoun refers to This helps in choosing the correct relative pronoun and maintaining agreement in gender and number
Practice with Different Pronouns Use exercises to practice the different relative pronouns in various contexts especially distinguishing between que quien and el cual
Pay Attention to Context Notice how defining and nondefining clauses are used in different texts This will help you understand when additional information is essential versus when it is supplementary
