If you have a basic understanding of Spanish grammar, you can likely construct simple sentences to express single ideas. By adding relative pronouns to your linguistic repertoire, you can add details to your sentences to convey more complex thoughts.
Mastering relative pronouns in Spanish can help you take your Spanish to the next level. Once you have the basics of this guide down, you can practice using them with experienced language instructors through Rosetta Stone Tutoring to accelerate your learning.
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What are Spanish relative pronouns?
Relative pronouns are joining words that connect ideas. They provide extra details about a person, thing, or idea to form more sophisticated and informative sentences and are the English equivalents of “that,” “which,” “who,” and “whom.” While relative pronouns have distinct uses, they often accomplish the same goal as other Spanish pronouns: to create fluid, natural-sounding sentences without repetition.
The following sentences do not use relative pronouns and express single ideas:
- Mi amiga Mariana es de Cartagena. = My friend Mariana is from Cartagena.
- Mi amiga Mariana se mudó al lado. = My friend Mariana moved next door.
In a conversation, these sentences could be combined with the relative pronoun quien (who) to make a more cohesive statement without having to repeat mi amiga Mariana.
- Mi amiga Mariana, quien es de Cartagena, se mudó al lado. = My friend Mariana, who’s from Cartagena, moved next door.
Spanish relative pronouns list
The table below introduces the six relative pronouns used to connect ideas in Spanish. The appropriate relative pronoun is determined by its distance from the antecedent (the Spanish noun it refers to) and the antecedent’s type.
| Spanish | English |
| que | that/which/who/whom |
| quien (quienes) | who/whom |
| el que (la que/los que/las que) | that/which/who/whom |
| el cual (la cual/los cuales/las cuales) | which/that/who/whom |
| lo que | what/which |
| lo cual | which |
How to use pronombres relativos (relative pronouns) in Spanish
As with other Spanish grammar concepts, immersion and practice are key to mastering relative pronouns. Many have shared definitions, so memorization alone isn’t enough. By exploring the uses of each pronoun in context, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the differences and be able to use them confidently when speaking and writing in Spanish.
Use que to refer to people, objects, and ideas
The most frequently used relative pronoun, que, introduces details about a person, object, or idea. It’s one of the easiest relative pronouns to use because it does not change according to number (singular or plural) or gender (masculine or feminine).
Que is typically placed directly after the antecedent (the noun being referred to) without any word or grammatical pause in between.
When referring to a place or a thing, que translates as “that” or less commonly, “which.”
- La hamburguesa que comí anoche me dio un gran dolor de estómago. = The hamburger (that) I ate last night gave me a big stomach ache.
- Voy a donar los libros que ya he leído. = I’m going to donate the books (which) I’ve already read.
When referring to a person, it translates to “that,” “who,” or “whom.”
- Conozco a una mujer que trabaja para el FBI. = I know a woman who works for the FBI.
- Las personas que vivían aquí eran muy amables. = The people who lived here were very nice.
If you look up the word “who” in any Spanish dictionary, you’ll find its primary translation is quien. However, que is typically the preferred relative pronoun to provide additional information about people in Spanish. There are a few instances where quien is preferred, as follows.
Use quien to refer to a person after a preposition or comma
Quien and its plural form quienes are used instead of que to express “who” or “whom” when there’s a preposition that separates the relative pronoun from its antecedent. Prepositions are essential Spanish parts of speech that connect nouns to other words in a sentence.
A (to/at), de (of/from), en (in), con (with), sin (without), para (for), and por (for) are common prepositions that proceed the relative pronouns quien and quienes.
- El hombre a quien vi esta mañana en el parque era muy guapo. = The man (who) I saw this morning in the park was very handsome.
- Las chicas con quienes juego al tenis son muy competitivas. = The girls (who) I play tennis with are very competitive.
Quien is also commonly used to add detail about a person when there is a grammatical pause after the antecedent, such as a comma. For example:
- Mi hermana, quien tiene cinco niños, va a empezar un negocio. = My sister, who has five kids, is going to start a business.
Add the definite article in front of que (to make el que) after a comma or one-word preposition
Like quien, el que and its related forms are used when there is a separation between the relative pronoun and its antecedent, such as a preposition or comma. The el que relative pronoun group is primarily used in written Spanish to refer to objects but can also refer to people in combination with the verb ser (to be) to express “the one who.”
To use this relative pronoun group correctly, it’s important to be familiar with Spanish gender rules in grammar. El que changes to la que, los que, or las que to agree with the antecedent in number 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 always there for me.
- Esos son los vecinos de los que he estado quejándome. = Those are the neighbors (who) I’ve been complaining about.
- Vi las películas de las que me había hablado. = I saw the movies (that) you told me about.
As demonstrated by the first example, whenever the preposition a is followed by the definite article el, they are combined to form al.
Use el cual instead of el que after compound prepositions
El cual and its related forms (la cual, los cuales, and las cuales) are synonymous with el que and its forms. They refer to people, objects, and ideas, especially when followed by a preposition or a grammatical pause. El cual must agree in gender and number with its antecedent.
Like el que, el cual is more common in written Spanish, especially after compound prepositions and certain expressions of quantity.
- El baniano, debajo del cual me sentaba a leer, tiene más de trescientos años. = The banyan, underneath which I woud sit to read, is over three hundred years old.
- Todas las habitaciones son grandes, algunas de las cuales tienen vestidores. = All the rooms are big, some of which have walk-in closets.
As shown in the first example, whenever the preposition de is followed by the definite article el, they combine to form the contraction del.
Use the neuter pronouns lo que and lo cual to refer to abstract ideas and situations
The neuter relative pronouns lo que (what/which) and lo cual (which) refer to abstract antecedents and do not change in gender or number. They primarily refer to an idea or situation already mentioned in the same sentence.
- Mi padre tiene que mudarse a una residencia de ancianos, lo que me pone muy triste. = My dad has to move into a retirement home, which makes me very sad.
- Mi esposo quiere reparar el techo él mismo, lo cual no me parece buena idea. = My husband wants to fix the roof himself, which doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.
Lo que and lo cual are mostly interchangeable, but only lo que can introduce ideas at the beginning of a sentence. For example:
- Lo que me gusta de este lugar es el ambiente acogedor. = What I like about this place is the cozy atmosphere.
How to use the relative adverb donde
Often considered a relative pronoun due to its similar grammatical purpose, donde is a relative adverb used to describe a place that has been previously mentioned in a sentence.
- Estoy en el café donde nos conocimos por primera vez. = I’m at the coffee shop where we first met.
- Este es el restaurante adonde fuimos para cenar la semana pasada. = This is the restaurant where we went to have dinner last week.
As seen in the second example, adonde is used with verbs of motion and direction, such as ir (to go).
Common mistakes when using relative pronouns
Learning Spanish can be a challenge, and making mistakes is normal. The most important thing is to learn from them and keep practicing. By familiarizing yourself with these common mistakes beginners make when using relative pronouns, you’ll be one step closer to using them confidently.
Relative pronouns should never have accents
While Spanish accent marks may seem minor, they directly affect the meaning and usage of words.
For example, que (that) without an accent is a relative pronoun whereas qué (what) with an accent is an interrogative. They serve different purposes in a sentence. For example:
- ¿Qué es eso? = What is that?
- Es un Walkman antiguo que encontré en el ático. = It’s an old Walkman that I found in the attic.
Similarly, quien (who) without 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 person you admire the most?
- La persona a quien admiro más es mi hermana. = The person (who) I admire the most is my sister.
Cuyo is a relative adjective with different rules of agreement
While some sources about Spanish relative pronouns may include cuyo (whose), it’s important to note that this word functions as a possessive adjective, not a relative pronoun. Unlike relative pronouns, cuyo and its related forms cuya, cuyos, and cuyas agree with the noun they modify, not the antecedent.
In the first example, cuyo changes to agree in number 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 woman whose kids go to boarding school in Switzerland.
- La novela, cuyo autor es anónimo, ha sido traducida a varios idiomas. = The novel, whose author is anonymous, has been translated into many languages.
Relative pronouns in Spanish cannot be omitted
English grammar rules allow speakers to leave out relative pronouns in cases where they sound unnatural or clunky. In Spanish, on the other hand, you can’t omit relative pronouns. For example:
- Preparé la pasta que te gusta. = I made the pasta (that) you like.
In Spanish, que is mandatory, whereas “that” is optional in English.
Key takeaways for navigating Spanish relative pronouns
Relative pronouns help make your Spanish sentences more robust by allowing you to connect ideas and add important details. Remember these four key takeaways to improve your grammar skills and express yourself more effectively in Spanish.
- Relative pronouns in Spanish allow you to refer to the antecedent without having to repeat it, creating more natural-sounding sentences.
- The relative pronouns que, el que, and el cual can refer to people and objects, whereas quien can only refer to people.
- The neuter relative pronouns lo que and lo cual refer to abstract ideas or situations.
- The relative adverb donde is used to refer to a place that has already been mentioned in the same sentence.
- The relative adjective cuyo must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, not with the antecedent.
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