This lesson covers Spanish relative pronouns like el que, quien, and cuyo, used to connect clauses with specific references. Learn key terms such as el que (the one), quien (who, for people), and cuyo (whose, expressing possession) to create clear and precise sentences.
- El que can refer to people or things.
- Quien is only used with people.
- Cuyo expresses possession and agrees in gender and number.
| Pronombre (Pronoun) | Uso (Use) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| El que | Referente definido (Defined referent) | Este es el coche en el que viajé. (This is the car in which I travelled.) |
| La que | Referente definido (Defined referent) | La casa en la que crecí está cerca. (The house in which I grew up is nearby.) |
| Los que | Referente definido (Defined referent) | Mis amigos, los que viven aquí, son amables. (My friends, those who live here, are kind.) |
| Las que | Referente definido (Defined referent) | Las plantas, las que compré ayer, son exóticas. (The plants, which I bought yesterday, are exotic.) |
| Quien | Solo personas (Only people) | Mi tía, quien es profesora, vendrá mañana. (My aunt, who is a teacher, will come tomorrow.) |
| Quienes | Solo personas (Only people) | Los alumnos, quienes estudian mucho, aprobarán. (The students, who study a lot, will pass.) |
| Cuyo/a | Expresa posesión (Expresses possession) | La ciudad, cuyo clima es cálido, es turística. (The city, whose climate is warm, is touristic.) |
| Cuyos/as | Expresa posesión (Expresses possession) | Los niños, cuyos juguetes están en el suelo, juegan. (Children, whose toys are on the floor, are playing.) |
Exceptions!
- Quien is used only for people.
- Cuyo indicates possession and agrees with the following noun.
- El que is used when the antecedent is clear and defined.
Exercise 1: Pronombres relativos (el que, quien, cuyo)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
quienes, el que, cuyo, la que, quien
1.
El casero, ... vive aquí, es muy amable.
(The landlord, who lives here, is very kind.)
2.
Los vecinos, ... son muy amables, nos ayudaron.
(The neighbours, who are very kind, helped us.)
3.
El edificio en ... viví era antiguo.
(The building in which I lived was old.)
4.
La casa, ... techo es rojo, está en venta.
(The house, whose roof is red, is for sale.)
5.
Busco un piso en ... pueda tener jardín.
(I am looking for a flat where I can have a garden.)
6.
La zona en ... trabajo es muy tranquila.
(The area where I work is very quiet.)
7.
La zona residencial en ... quiero vivir es muy segura.
(The residential area where I want to live is very safe.)
8.
La persona a ... llamaste dejó un mensaje.
(The person whom you called left a message.)
