Relative pronouns are essential tools in Spanish for connecting sentences and providing additional information about a noun. They help create more complex and detailed sentences.
Overview
| Pronoun | English Equivalent | Function |
|---|---|---|
| que | that, which, who | Refers to people or things |
| quien | who, whom | Used for people, mainly in formal contexts or after prepositions |
| cuyo | whose | Indicates possession |
Examples
Que
- La casa que compré es muy grande.
- The house that I bought is very big.
- El libro que estás leyendo es interesante.
- The book which you are reading is interesting.
Quien
- Mi amigo, quien vive en Madrid, es ingeniero.
- My friend, who lives in Madrid, is an engineer.
- Conocí a la persona quien me ayudó ayer.
- I met the person who helped me yesterday.
Cuyo
- María, cuyo hermano es doctor, vive en Barcelona.
- María, whose brother is a doctor, lives in Barcelona.
- El hombre cuyo coche está fuera es mi vecino.
- The man whose car is outside is my neighbor.
Usage Guide
- Que is the most common relative pronoun and can refer to both people and things.
- Quien is used exclusively for people and is often found after prepositions or in more formal contexts.
- Cuyo expresses possession and must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
Additional Examples
Que
- La película que vimos anoche fue emocionante.
- The movie that we watched last night was exciting.
- El profesor que enseñó la clase es muy estricto.
- The teacher who taught the class is very strict.
Quien
- Hablé con la mujer quien dirigió el proyecto.
- I spoke with the woman who led the project.
- Él es el estudiante quien ganó el premio.
- He is the student who won the award.
Cuyo
- El escritor cuyos libros son famosos visitó nuestra escuela.
- The writer whose books are famous visited our school.
- Vivimos en una ciudad cuyas calles son muy antiguas.
- We live in a city whose streets are very old.
Practice Sentences
- Ella tiene un perro que siempre ladra por la noche.
- Juan es el amigo quien me dio el consejo.
- Ellos visitaron el museo cuyo director es mi tío.
By using relative pronouns like que, quien, and cuyo, you can create sentences that are more informative and precise. These tools help clarify relationships between people, objects, and ideas, making your communication in Spanish more effective.