QUE

Used as a RELATIVE PRONOUN

A RELATIVE PRONOUN

• Stands for a noun or another pronoun previously mentioned. (the ANTECEDENT)

• Is RELATED to the ANTECEDENT.• Introduces a RELATIVE (SUBORDINATE)

CLAUSE. (a group of words with a subject and verb separate

from the subject and verb of the main clause but cannot stand on its own.)

• Can function as the subject or object of the subordinate clause.

IN OTHER WORDS

• A RELATIVE PRONOUN connects two clauses that have a related idea.

• This is my friend.

• He plays basketball.

• This is my friend WHO plays basketball.

FOR EXAMPLE

• This is the boy who broke the window.• The MAIN CLAUSE = This is the boy• The RELATIVE (SUBORDINATE) CLAUSE =

who broke the window,• WHO is the RELATIVE PRONOUN that stands

for the ANTECEDENT, BOY • WHO is the subject of this relative (subordinate)

clause.• (who broke the window is called a relative clause

because it starts with a relative pronoun.)

THE RELATIVE PRONOUN

• Allows us to combine two thoughts with a common element into one single sentence.

• A. I met the teacher.• B. He teaches Spanish in my school.• = I met the teacher who teaches Spanish in

my school.• Teacher and (he) teaches are the common

element in the two sentences.

QUE

• Is the RELATIVE PRONOUN used as a SUBJECT or OBJECT of the RELATIVE CLAUSE.

• It refers to people or things. (When QUE is the object of a preposition - a, de, con - it can refer only to things.)

• It never changes when used as the subject or object of the relative clause. (It is invariable.)

EXAMPLES USING QUE AS A RELATIVE PRONOUN

• Juan es el estudiante que estudia más. • Juan is the student who studies most.• QUE is the relative pronoun that stands for the

ANTECEDENT, JUAN.• Este es el libro que es muy interesante.• This is the book which(that) is very interesting.• QUE is the relative pronoun that stands for the

ANTECEDENT, LIBRO.

ALWAYS REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET

• QUE IS NOT THE ONLY RELATIVE PRONOUN.

• OTHER RELATIVE PRONOUNS WILL BE USED WHEN THEIR FUNCTION IN THE SENTENCE IS DIFFERENT (object of the preposition, for example)

ALWAYS REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET

• EVEN IF THE RELATIVE PRONOUN IS OMITTED IN ENGLISH (Which it often is) IT CANNOT BE OMITTED IN SPANISH.

• The book (that,which) I’m reading is very interesting. ( The relative pronoun that/which is often omitted in English)

• El libro QUE leo es muy interesante. (The relative pronoun que CANNOT be omitted in Spanish.)(QUE is the object of this subordinate clause.)

• The car (that/which) my father has is new. (The relative pronoun that/which is often omitted in English.

• El carro QUE mi padre tiene es nuevo. (The relative pronoun que CANNOT be omitted in Spanish. (QUE is the object of this subordinate clause.)

Combine these sentences using the relative pronoun, que

• Juan es mi amigo. El es muy alto.

• Juan es mi amigo que es muy alto.

• Julia y María son chicas inteligentes. Ellas estudian mucho.

• Julia y María son chicas inteligentes que estudian mucho.

Combine the elements to form a sentence using the relative pronoun QUE

• Pintar / Juan

• Juan es el chico que pinta muy bien.

• Sacar la basura / mi padre

• Es mi padre que saca la basura en nuestra casa.

• Lavar el carro / mi hermano

• Es mi hermano que lava el carro.