Lesson 9: Relative Pronouns

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions and grammatical rules for the common relative pronouns in Spanish as presented in Lesson 9.

Relative pronouns

Words used to combine two sentences or clauses that share a common element, such as a noun or pronoun.

que

The most frequently used relative pronoun, which can refer to things or to people and translates to that, which, or who.

quien / quienes

Relative pronouns that refer only to people and are often used after a preposition, the personal a, or in clauses set off by commas.

lo que

A relative pronoun referring to an idea, a situation, or a past event; it means what, that which, or the thing that.

Accentuation Rule

Relative pronouns never carry an accent, unlike interrogative words such as qué or quién.

que (Omission)

Unlike the English that, the Spanish relative pronoun que is never omitted from a sentence.

quien(es) (Usage)

The singular relative pronoun used for a single person, whereas quienes refers to multiple people.