Spanish Relative Pronouns and Adjectives

Abstract

To many teachers, as well as to pupils, Spanish Relatives cause constant confusion. In the pages of HISPANIA during the last few years, considerable debate has gone on over the best way of simplifying for students the differences between ser and estar. Now that problem has been considerably clarified. In order to open a similar discussion about relatives, I offer the following outline, acknowledging that there are differences of opinion about which relative to use in a given circumstance, but feeling that, in general, the practice here suggested can be followed with safety, though it may not be the only possible way of expressing the idea. A. QUE 1. The most common relative pronoun is que, which immediately follows its antecedent, either a person or a thing. When used with prepositions, it usually refers to things. Este es el hombre que viene This is the man who is coming. Estos son los libros que me gustan These are the books that I like. 2. Que may be used as the object of verbs, referring to both persons and things. Las personas que veo aqui ... The people that I see here ... Los libros 'que compre ... The books that I bought ... 3. When referring to things, que may be used as the object of short prepositions, like a, de, and en. With por and para, and sometimes with con, the longer form, el que, la que, etc., is usually used to avoid confusion with porque, conque, etc. 4. Que must follow its antecedent closely, even if the sentence has to be recast.