Who, That, Which

A relative pronoun is a word that connects a person or thing to extra information about them — like “who,” “that,” or “which.”
Some are restricted to referring to people only.
Some are restricted to referring to things or ideas.
And some are restricted to being used in certain types of clauses only.

📁 Clause Types

  • Independent Clause — can stand alone
    ✅ Él vive en Londres.
  • Dependent Clause — can’t stand alone
    ✅ que vive en Londres
  • Restrictive Clause — identifies something essential (no commas)
    ✅ La chica que canta está aquí. (The girl who sings is here.)
    You need the clause to know which one.
  • Non-Restrictive Clause — adds extra info (uses commas)
    ✅ Mi hermano, quien vive en Londres, viene a visitarme.
    You already know who the subject is; the clause is just bonus info.

Relative Pronouns Summary

The Relative Pronouns are:

  • quien / quienes
  • con quien / de quien / para quien / a quien
  • que
  • lo que
  • lo cual
  • el que / la que / los que / las que

QUIEN / QUIENES

= who / the one(s) who — for people only
Used to refer to people.

✅ Can be used in non-restrictive (extra info) clauses

Examples:

  • Mi hermana, quien vive en Puebla, es doctora.
  • El hombre, quien llegó tarde, pidió disculpas.
  • El hombre que vino ayer es doctor. ← Correct alternative

Here are 10 sentences in English (everyday usage) that will need quien or quienes when translated into Spanish:

  1. My dad, who lives in Guadalajara, is coming to visit.
  2. Her friend, who just got back from Mexico City, is a doctor.
  3. The teacher, who always wears red, didn’t come today.
  4. His brother, who works at the bakery, is super friendly.
  5. Our neighbor, who has three dogs, helped us yesterday.
  6. The man, who told that joke, is sitting over there.
  7. My cousin, who studies architecture, is moving to Mérida.
  8. Their aunt, who used to live in Veracruz, came by.
  9. The guy, who borrowed your book, hasn’t returned it.
  10. Their grandma, who makes the best mole, is in the kitchen.

CON QUIEN / DE QUIEN / PARA QUIEN / A QUIEN

= who / whom — always includes a preposition
These are valid in any clause type.

The preposition shows the relationship:

  • con quien = with whom → I work with her
  • de quien = about whom → We were talking about her
  • para quien = for whom → I wrote the letter for him
  • a quien = to whom → I spoke to her

In English, “to whom,” “with whom,” etc. sound formal, and we often avoid them in speech (e.g., we say “the person I work with” instead of “the person with whom I work”).

In Spanish, though, using con quien, a quien, etc. is completely natural and common in everyday language — especially in relative clauses.

Examples:

  • La mujer con quien trabajo es simpática.
  • La chica de quien hablábamos llegó.
  • El jefe para quien trabajo está en reunión.
  • La señora a quien llamaste no respondió.

Everyday English Sentences → Need a preposition + “quien” in Spanish:

  1. The woman I work with is really kind.
  2. The guy we were talking about just arrived.
  3. The boss I work for is out today.
  4. The woman you called didn’t answer.
  5. The girl I sat with is from Oaxaca.
  6. The man she’s writing to is her uncle.
  7. The friend I’m thinking about lives in Chiapas.
  8. The teacher I gave the letter to was absent.
  9. The people we were worried about are safe.
  10. The neighbor we argued with apologized.

QUE

= who / that — used for people or things
Use que when you’re identifying which person or thing you’re talking about.
It’s tied to actions or traits and is the default for restrictive (essential info) clauses.

✅ Yes — que can be used in any clause.

Examples:

  • La chica que canta es mi prima.
  • El hombre que vino ayer es doctor.
  • Mi tío, quien vive en Cancún, es chef.

🔑 Que vs Quien

que and quien can both mean “who,” but here’s the key difference:

➤ Use que to say which one

  • It identifies the person or thing
  • It’s about what they do or what they’re like
  • Often used with no comma

Examples:

  • The girl who sings is here. → La chica que canta está aquí.
  • The guy who fixed my car is nice. → El tipo que arregló mi coche es buena onda.

➤ Use quien to add extra info

  • It’s like saying “by the way, this person…”
  • You already know who — you’re just adding something
  • Usually comes after a comma

Examples:

  • My uncle, who lives in Cancún, is visiting. → Mi tío, quien vive en Cancún, me visita.
  • His sister, who’s a doctor, is here. → Su hermana, quien es doctora, está aquí.

Here are 10 English sentences that, when translated into Spanish, will need either que or quien — no hints or labels:

  1. The woman who called you is my aunt.
  2. My brother, who lives in Monterrey, is coming to visit.
  3. The dog that barked all night belongs to the neighbor.
  4. Their teacher, who always gives homework, didn’t show up today.
  5. The friend who helped me move is visiting again.
  6. His cousin, who works at the market, made the cake.
  7. The man who lives next door is selling his car.
  8. My aunt, who makes the best tamales, is cooking today.
  9. The boy who lost his backpack is crying.
  10. Our neighbor, who just got a new job, is celebrating tonight.

LO QUE

= what / the thing that — always neutral
Refers to ideas, actions, or entire situations, not specific people or objects.
✅ Can start a sentence

Examples:

  • What he said made me angry.
    → Lo que dijo me enojó.
  • What I need is time.
    → Lo que necesito es tiempo.
  • What happened last night was crazy.
    → Lo que pasó anoche fue una locura.
  • What matters most is honesty.
    → Lo que más importa es la honestidad.
  • I already told you — and what I said still stands.
    → Ya te lo dije — y lo que dije sigue en pie.

📌 If you’re pointing to an idea, action, or situation → use lo que

Here’s a mix of everyday English sentences where lo que would be needed in Spanish — not all start with “what”:

  1. I didn’t like what he said.
  2. She never understood what went wrong.
  3. They forgot what really mattered.
  4. I still remember what you did.
  5. He apologized for what happened.
  6. That’s not what I meant.
  7. We’re focusing on what works.
  8. You’ll see what I mean.
  9. Nobody knows what caused it.
  10. I told her everything — what I saw, what I heard, what I felt.

LO CUAL

= which — formal, backward-looking
Lo cual is used to refer back to a whole idea or statement, not a specific noun.
It shows up in formal or careful speech — more often in writing than in casual talk.

In conversation, people just use eso. Same logic, more natural.

🔄 Lo cual vs Eso

EnglishFormal (lo cual)Everyday (eso)
He lied to me, which upset me.Me mintió, lo cual me molestó.Me mintió y eso me molestó.
They cancelled the trip, which was disappointing.Cancelaron el viaje, lo cual fue decepcionante.Cancelaron el viaje y eso fue decepcionante.
She didn’t show up, which is typical.No vino, lo cual es típico.No vino y eso es típico.