This lesson explains how to use the relative pronoun "que" to add information about nouns like "la merienda" (the snack), "el refresco" (the soft drink), and "el menú" (the menu). Learn to form sentences such as "La merienda que comí fue saludable" to describe people and things with subordinate clauses.
  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. (The snack that I ate at the restaurant was healthy.)
El refresco (The soft drink)Que + verbo + oración subordinadaEl refresco que bebimos ayer estuvo bien. (The soft drink that we drank yesterday was good.)
El menú (The menu)Que + verbo + oración subordinadaEl menú que queremos tiene verduras. (The menu that we want has vegetables.)
Mi amiga (My friend)Que + verbo + oración subordinada Mi amiga, que me ha recomendado esta dieta también, me ha mostrado unos ejercicios. (My friend, who has also recommended this diet to me, has shown me some exercises.)

 

Exercise 1: El relativo "que"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Elegir (Nosotros), Seguir (Yo), Comer (Ellos), que bebí, Practicar (Ella), que practica, que elegimos, Beber (Yo), Hacer (Tú), Tomar (Nosotros), que necesito, que sigo, que comieron, Necesito (Yo), que haces, que tomamos

1.
...: La bebida ... después del entrenamiento fue energética.
(Tomar (Nosotros): La bebida que tomamos después del entrenamiento fue energética.)
2.
...: El deporte ... es el fútbol.
(Practicar (Ella): El deporte que practica es el fútbol.)
3.
...: El ejercicio... todos los días te ayuda sentirte mejor.
(Hacer (Tú): El ejercicioque haces todos los días te ayuda sentirte mejor.)
4.
... :La dieta ... me ayuda a sentirme más saludable.
(Seguir (Yo) :La dieta que sigo me ayuda a sentirme más saludable.)
5.
...: El menú ... para a fiesta tiene opciones saludables.
(Elegir (Nosotros): El menú que elegimos para a fiesta tiene opciones saludables.)
6.
...: El refresco ... ayer me hizo sentir mal.
(Beber (Yo): El refresco que bebí ayer me hizo sentir mal.)
7.
...: La merienda ... a media tarde fue muy ligera.
(Comer (Ellos): La merienda que comieron a media tarde fue muy ligera.)
8.
...:El ingrediente ... para la receta es aceite de oliva.
(Necesito (Yo):El ingrediente que necesito para la receta es aceite de oliva.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

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

1.
Error: the verb must agree in singular with 'dish'; 'is' should be used instead of 'are'.
Error: the correct relative pronoun is 'que' (that), not 'who', which is only used for people.
2.
Error: there is a lack of agreement; it should be 'is' (singular) not 'are' because 'bread' is singular.
Error: the relative pronoun must be 'que' (that), 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'; 'is' should be used instead of 'are'.
4.
Error: the correct pronoun for things is 'que' (that), 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", a fundamental part of Spanish grammar used to add more information about a noun within a sentence. It is an essential tool to create complex sentences by linking a main noun with additional descriptive information.

What is "que" in Relative Sentences?

In Spanish, "que" is used in relative clauses to provide further details about a noun, whether it refers to things or people. The relative clause always connects directly to the noun it describes. The basic structure is:

noun + que + verb + subordinate clause

Examples from the Lesson

  • 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 drink that we drank yesterday was good.)
  • El menú que queremos tiene verduras. (The menu that we want has vegetables.)
  • Mi amiga, que me ha recomendado esta dieta también, me ha mostrado unos ejercicios. (My friend, who has also recommended this diet to me, has shown me some exercises.)

Common Uses and Important Notes

  • "Que" refers to both people and things. It connects the noun with the verb phrase explaining or specifying more about the noun.
  • Concordance between the noun and the verb is essential. The verb in the relative clause must agree in number with the noun it refers to.
  • Unlike English, Spanish does not use relative pronouns like "which" or "that" separately; "que" covers these roles.

Differences Between English and Spanish Relative Clauses

In English, relative clauses often use "who," "which," or "that" depending on the noun: people (who), things (which/that). In Spanish, "que" is the universal relative pronoun for both people and things, simplifying sentence formation.

Moreover, verb agreement is crucial in Spanish: the verb following "que" must match the noun it refers to in both number and person. For example, "El plato que cocine9 este1 delicioso" (The dish that I cooked is delicious) uses singular verbs matching the singular noun plato.

Useful Words and Phrases

  • La merienda: the snack
  • El refresco: the soft drink
  • El menú: the menu
  • Mi amiga: my friend
  • Que: that/who/which (relative pronoun)
  • Oración subordinada: subordinate clause

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