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Learn how to use the relative pronoun "que" in Spanish to add important information about nouns. This lesson explains the structure noun + que + verb + subordinate clause, with practical examples like "La merienda que comí en el restaurante fue saludable." Discover how "que" connects people and things to relative clauses, improving your sentence complexity and fluency.
  1. The relative clause with que always goes attached to the noun it refers to.
  2. "Que" refers to things or people.
  3. It is formed with: noun + que + verb + subordinate clause.
Sustantivo (Noun)Sustantivo = que relativo (Noun = that relative)Ejemplo (Example)
La merienda (The snack)Que + verbo + oración subordinadaLa merienda que comí en el restaurante fue saludable.
El refresco (The soft drink)Que + verbo + oración subordinadaEl refresco que bebimos ayer estuvo bien.
El menú (The menu)Que + verbo + oración subordinadaEl menú que queremos tiene verduras.
Mi amiga (My friend)Que + verbo + oración subordinada Mi amiga, que me ha recomendado esta dieta también, me ha mostrado unos ejercicios.

 

Exercise 1: El relativo "que"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Beber (Yo), Comer (Ellos), Tomar (Nosotros), que ha preparado, Hacer (Tú), que haces, que bebí, Preparar (Ella), Preparar (Vosotros): , Seguir (Yo), que necesito, que comieron, que tomamos, Necesito (Yo), que preparasteis, que sigo

1.
... :La dieta ... me ayuda a sentirme más saludable.
(The diet that I follow helps me feel healthier.)
2.
...: El ejercicio... todos los días te ayuda sentirte mejor.
(Doing (You): The exercise that you do every day helps you feel better.)
3.
...La comida ... ayer estaba deliciosa.
(Prepare (You all): The food you all prepared yesterday was delicious.)
4.
...: La merienda ... a media tarde fue muy ligera.
(Eat (They): The snack they ate in the mid-afternoon was very light.)
5.
...: El refresco ... ayer me hizo sentir mal.
(Drink (I): The soft drink that I drank yesterday made me feel ill.)
6.
...: El menú ... para esta semana tiene muchas verduras.
(Prepare (She): The menu she has prepared for this week has lots of vegetables.)
7.
...: La bebida ... después del entrenamiento fue energética.
(To drink (We): The drink that we had after training was energy drink.)
8.
...:El ingrediente ... para la receta es aceite de oliva.
(I need: The ingredient I need for the recipe is olive oil.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Select the correct sentence that properly uses the relative pronoun 'que' to give more information about the noun, avoiding common errors in its use.

1.
Error: the verb must agree in singular with 'dish'; 'are' is not used in plural.
Error: the correct relative pronoun is 'que', not 'who', which is only used for people.
2.
Error: lack of agreement; it should be 'is' (singular) and not 'are' because 'bread' is singular.
Error: the relative must be 'que', not 'who', since it refers to a thing.
3.
Error: lack of agreement; 'ingredients' is plural and requires 'are', not 'is'.
Error: the verb must agree in singular with 'juice'; 'are' is not used in plural.
4.
Error: the correct pronoun for things is 'que', not 'who'.
Error: lack of agreement; 'fruit' is singular and the verb must agree in singular, not plural.

Understanding the Relative Pronoun "que" in Spanish

This lesson focuses on the use of the relative pronoun "que" to form relative clauses in Spanish. Relative clauses help provide additional information about a noun, linking it to a subordinate sentence that describes or defines it further.

Key Structure

The basic formation is: noun + que + verb + subordinate clause. This structure connects the noun directly with more details, making sentences richer and more precise.

Examples

  • La merienda que comí en el restaurante fue saludable. (The snack that I ate at the restaurant was healthy.)
  • El refresco que bebimos ayer estuvo bien. (The soft drink we drank yesterday was good.)
  • El menú que queremos tiene verduras. (The menu we want has vegetables.)
  • Mi amiga, que me ha recomendado esta dieta también, me ha mostrado unos ejercicios. (My friend, who also recommended this diet to me, has shown me some exercises.)

Usage Notes

The relative pronoun "que" refers to both persons and things, which makes it very versatile. It is always directly connected to the noun it refers to. In Spanish, unlike English, the relative pronoun does not change based on gender or number when referring to things or people.

Common Points to Remember

  • Make sure the verb in the subordinate clause agrees with the noun it relates to in number and person.
  • "Que" is the most common relative pronoun and is used for both people and objects.
  • Don't confuse "que" with "quien", which is only used for people in certain contexts.

Differences with English

In English, relative clauses typically use pronouns like "who" for people and "which" or "that" for things. Spanish simply uses "que" for both, simplifying relative clauses but requiring attention to verb agreement. For example, "the friend who recommended" translates as "la amiga que recomendó". Also, Spanish does not omit the relative pronoun as is sometimes possible in English.

Useful phrases include "la merienda que..." (the snack that...), "el menú que..." (the menu that...), and "mi amiga que..." (my friend who...). Learning to use "que" effectively will greatly improve your ability to connect ideas smoothly in Spanish.

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