11.4. Relative Clauses ✅

11.4.1. Relative Clauses?

A relative clause can be introduced by a relative pronoun, relative adverb or relative adjective. These words stand for a noun or pronoun that was previously mentioned, known as the “antecedent”.

There are two types of relative clauses: defining and non-defining.

A defining clause (also known as a restrictive clause) adds necessary information to identify the noun that is described. It is not separated by commas.

Lo libro que comprai èst sopre la mesa.	The book that I bought is on the table.

A non-defining clause (also known as a non-restrictive clause) gives information that is not necessary to identify the noun. In contrast, this type of clause must be separated by commas.

Mèa sorore, que vive en Francia, me visitarà la pròxima septemana.	My sister, who lives in France, will visit me next week.

11.4.2. Relative Pronouns

A relative pronoun introduces a clause that describes a noun that was mentioned before (also known as “the antecedent”). Relative pronouns are used to avoid repetition by linking two related ideas into one sentence.

Invariable

These relative pronouns do not change, no matter the subject of the antecedent.

Relative Pronoun	Function	Example(s)	Translation
Que [That / Who / Which]	- Refers to people, animals, things and concepts. It replaces the subject and direct object. - It can be used to introduce both defining and non-defining relative clauses. - In practice, it is the most common relative pronoun, even when others are possible in its place.	1. La fémena que trepallîa ad lo supermercato èst simpàtica. 2. Paolo et Isabella, que son de Italia, acora viven en Francia.	1. The woman that works at the supermarket is friendly. 2. Paolo and Isabella, who are from Italy, now live in France.
Qui / Quèn [Who]	- Refers only to people. It replaces the subject and direct object. - WITHOUT PREPOSITION: Both “qui” and “que can only be used in non-defining restrictive clauses. - WITH PREPOSITION: Both “qui” and “lo quale” + variants can be used in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.	1. La fémena (qui / que) trepallîa ad lo supermercato èst simpàtica. 2. Mèos patres, con (qui / los quales) parlo frequentemente, vènen ad cenare. 3. Lo hòmene con (qui / lo quale) parlo dice que ha viaggîato en moltos paeses.	1. The woman who works at the supermarket is friendly. 2. My parents, with whom I speak frequently, are coming for dinner. 3. The man with whom I speak says that he has traveled to many countries.
Cuello que / Cuò que [What / That which]	- Refers to an implicit concept or idea. - It replaces the subject and direct object. - It is used in defining relative clauses.	1. Non sai cuello que vòllîo por la cena. 2. Hai cuò que cercas.	1. I do not know what I want for dinner. 2. I have that which you seek.
Lo que / Lo quale [Which]	- Refers to an entire clause or idea explicitly stated in the main clause. - It can only be used in non-defining relative clauses.	1. Audíi un sòno de la altra càmera, lo quale èst estrannîo per que pensai que non hi haveva necuno ad casa. 2. Feci una presentatione devante moltas personas, lo que me rendeu nervoso.	1. I heard a noise from the other room, which is weird because I thought there was no one home. 2. I gave a presentation in front of many people, which made me nervous.

nota

1. The difference between “que” as a relative pronoun and as a conjunction is that it introduces a noun clause (information about the antecedent) as a relative pronoun, whereas as a conjunction, it introduces a subordinate clause. A good way to distinguish them is to see if “que” can be replaced with another relative pronoun, like “qui” or variants of “lo quale”. If it is possible, then it is a relative pronoun. If not, it is a conjunction. Another way to distinguish them is that the word “que” as a conjunction is used after adjectives and verbs, instead of nouns.
2. “Qui” can also be used in an abstract sense. For example: “Qui trepallîa duro haverà succèsso” [He who works hard will be successful].

Variable

These relative pronouns must agree in gender and quantity with the noun or pronoun in the antecedent.

Relative Pronoun	Function	Example(s)	Translation
Cuellos / Cuellas / Los / Las [Those / Those people]	Refers to people.	Cuellos que vòllîan exire deven fàcere-lo acora.	Those that may wish to leave must do so now.
(WITHOUT PREPOSITION) Lo quale / La quale / Los quales / Las quales [That / Who]	- Refers to people, animals, things and concepts. - It has the same role as “que” and “qui; It replaces the subject and direct object. It is more formal than other options. - Without a preposition, it can only be used in non-defining relative clauses. - It can technically refer to things, but it is much more common, or even considered correct, to use it only with people (Italian and French).	1. Mèa cosina, la quale trepallîa ad lo supermercato èst simpàtica. 2. Hi ha doos libros sopre la mesa, los quales furon compratos de en la libería.	1. My cousin, who works at the supermarket, is friendly. 2. There are two books on the table, which were bought at the bookstore.
(WITH PREPOSITION) Lo quale / La quale / Los quales / Las quales [Which / Whom]	- Refers to people, animals, things and concepts. It replaces indirect objects. - With a preposition, it can be used in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.	1. (“Pensare ad”): Cuesto èst lo libro ad lo quale pènso sèmpre. 2. (“Parlare de”): Cuesto èst lo libro de lo quale hai parlato. 3. (“Trepallîare por”): La empressa por la quale trepallîo èst situata en Alemannîa. 4. (“Vívere en”): La civtate en la quale vivo èst bella. 5. (“Exire con”): La fémena con la quale hai exito èst de Colòmbia. 6. (“Trepallîare sopre”) Lo projècto sopre lo quale trepallîamos serà finito de bòna hora. 7. (“En la cassa”): La cassa en la quale se tropan los libros. 8. (“Sopre la mesa”) La mesa sopre la quale se tropa lo libro èst facta de legno. 9. (“Per lo procèsso”): Lo reciclagge èst un procèsso per lo quale los resíduos sòlidos son usatos por creare nòvos productos.	1. This is the book of which I always think. 2. This is the book of which I have spoken. 3. The company for which I work is located in Germany. 4. The city in which I live is beautiful. 5. The woman with whom I went out is from Colombia. 6. The project on which we work will be finished soon. 7. The box in which the books are found. 8. The table on which the book is found is made of wood. 9. Recycling is a process by which waste is used to create new products.

11.4.3. Relative Adverbs

Relative adverbs introduce a relative clause and add information about the manner, time, place or quantity in which an event may occur.

Relative Adverb	Example(s)	Translation
Quando [When]	1. Cuello èst lo momènto quando me rendei cònto que qualcausa non vadeva. 2. Hère, quando mirai per la fenèstra, comentsau ad plòvere. 3. Te clamarai quando havrai tèmpo.	1. That is the moment when I realized something was wrong. 2. Yesterday, when I looked out the window, it started to rain. 3. I will call you when I have time.
Onde / Ove [Where]	1. Cuesta èst la casa onde crescei. 2. So en un jardino, onde hi ha moltas spècies de plantas.	1. This is the house where I grew up. 2. I am in a garden, where there are many species of plants.
Como [Like / As]	1. Las causas non exiron como voleva. 2. Te preparai la cena como prefèras.	1. Things that did not turn out how I wanted. 2. I will make you dinner however you like.
Quanto [As much / All that]	Mangîa quanto vòles.	Eat as much as you want.

nota

In practice, “quanto” and “como” are often interchangeable.

11.4.4. Relative Adjectives

Relative adjectives, like other relative words, give information about the antecedent. However, since these are adjectives, they must agree with the gender and quantity of the noun that immediately follows it rather than the antecedent.

Relative Adjective	Function	Example(s)	Translation
Cujjo [Whose]	- Indicates possession. - It can only be used with non-defining relative clauses. - It is considered more formal and literary. - It can also be reformulated using “de lo quale” + variants, or simply using “que”. - Since “cujjo” is an adjective, it must agree with the gender and quantity of the possession it describes.	1. (USING “CUJJO”): Gustavo, cujja sorore vive en Francia, èst un amico mèo. 2. (USING “DE LO QUALE”): Gustavo, la sorore de lo quale vive en Francia, èst un amico mèo. 3. (USING “QUE”): Gustavo, (que / qui) ha una sorore que vive en Francia, èst un amico mèo.	1. Gustavo, whose sister lives in France, is a friend of mine. 2. Gustavo, whose sister lives in France, is a friend of mine. 3. Gustavo, who has a sister that lives in France, is a friend of mine.
Quanto [As much / As many]	Indicates the quantity of something.	1. Comprai quantos libros potei. 2. Me pòtes pètere quanto denario vòles.	1. I bought as many books as I could. 2. You can ask me for as much money as you want.