9.3 Lesson 9: Relative Pronouns

Lesson 9: Goals and Objectives

The primary goals of this lesson are to develop the linguistic skills necessary to discuss celebrations and relationships effectively. Key expressions associated with these themes include:

  • El pastel que compraron fue muy rico. (The cake they bought was very delicious.)

  • Quiero saber cuándo van a llegar las flores que pedí. (I want to know when the flowers I ordered are going to arrive.)

9.3 Relative Pronouns (Pronombres Relativos)

Relative pronouns are essential linguistic tools used to combine two separate sentences or clauses that share a common element, such as a noun or a pronoun. By using these pronouns, repetitive phrasing is eliminated, and information is linked more fluidly.

Accentuation Distinctions

It is critical to note that relative pronouns never carry a written accent. This distinguishes them from interrogative words (such as queˊ\text{qué}, quieˊn\text{quién}, etc.), which always require an accent when used in questions or exclamations.

The Mechanism of Combining Sentences

The following diagrams illustrate how two individual statements are integrated into a single complex sentence using a relative pronoun:

Example 1: Referring to an Object (El flan)

  • Sentence A: Este es el flan. (This is the flan.)

  • Sentence B: Manuela preparó el flan. (Manuela made the flan.)

  • Combined Sentence: Éste es el flan que Manuela preparó. (This is the flan that Manuela made.)

Example 2: Referring to a Person (Lourdes)

  • Sentence A: Lourdes es muy inteligente. (Lourdes is very intelligent.)

  • Sentence B: Lourdes estudia español. (Lourdes studies Spanish.)

  • Combined Sentence: Lourdes, quien estudia español, es muy inteligente. (Lourdes, who studies Spanish, is very intelligent.)

Standard Relative Pronouns in Spanish

There are three commonly utilized relative pronouns in the Spanish language:

  1. que: that; which; who

  2. quien(es): who; whom; that

  3. lo que: that which; what

Analysis of the Relative Pronoun 'Que'

Que is the most frequently used relative pronoun. It is highly versatile and can refer to both things and people. A key difference between Spanish and English is that in Spanish, the relative pronoun que is never omitted, whereas "that" is frequently dropped in English.

Examples of 'Que' in Context:

  • ¿Dónde está el pastel que pedí? (Where is the cake [that] I ordered?)

  • El hombre que sirve la comida se llama Diego. (The man who serves the food is named Diego.)

Analysis of the Relative Pronouns 'Quien' and 'Quienes'

The pronouns quien (singular) and quienes (plural) refer exclusively to people. Their usage is governed by specific grammatical structures:

Usage after Prepositions

These pronouns are frequently used after a preposition (such as de, con, en) or the personal "a."

  • Eva, a quien vi anoche, cumple 2525 años hoy. (Eva, whom I saw last night, turns 2525 today.)

  • ¿Son ésas las chicas de quienes me hablaste la semana pasada? (Are those the girls you told me about last week?)

Usage in Appositive Clauses

Quien(es) is occasionally used as a substitute for que in non-restrictive clauses—those that are set off by commas and provide additional information about the subject.

  • Lola, quien es cubana, es médica. (Lola, who is Cuban, is a doctor.)

  • Su tía, que es alemana, ya llegó. (Her aunt, who is German, already arrived.)

Analysis of the Relative Pronoun 'Lo Que'

Unlike que or quien, which refer to specific nouns, lo que is used to refer to an abstract idea, a general situation, or a past event. It translates to "what" or "the thing that."

Examples of 'Lo Que' in Context:

  • Juana tiene todo lo que necesitamos. (Juana has everything we need.)

  • Lo que quiero es verte. (What I want is to see you.)

  • Lo que me molesta es el calor. (The thing that bothers me is the heat.)

  • Lo que más te gusta es divertirte. (What you like most is to have fun.)