Spanish Relative Pronoun El Que ~ Pronombres relativos

Just like in English, a Spanish relative pronoun links a dependent/relative clause (i.e., a clause that cannot stand alone) to a main clause. In this lesson we'll discuss el que, which literally means who or whom and has four different forms. Note that in Spanish, relative pronouns are required, whereas in English, they are sometimes optional.

  
The relative pronoun el que agrees in gender and number with the noun it replaces:

El que joins a main clause to a dependent or relative clause, replaces one or more words, and may refer to people or things. El que is almost used exactly like el cual - they are nearly always interchangeable. (See the lesson on el cual for the exceptions).

  
In nonrestrictive clauses (where the relative pronoun does not limit the person or thing it replaces), el que can be both the subject and the object:

El profesor va a ayudarnos. Él vive en Barcelona. 
El profesor, el que vive en Barcelona, va a ayudarnos. 
The teacher, who lives in Barcelona, is going to help us.

Las chicas quieren trabajar juntas. Ellas son hermanas.
Las chicas, las que son hermanas, quieren trabajar juntas.
The girls, who are sisters, want to work together.

  
El que can simultaneously replace a human antecedent and be the object of a preposition:

Ana quiere al hombre. Yo lo vi.
Ana quiere al hombre al que yo vi.
Ana loves the man (that) I saw.

Las chicas no han llegado. Mi hermano trabaja con ellas.
Las chicas con las que mi hermano trabaja no han llegado.
The girls with whom my brother works haven't arrived.

Los estudiantes están aquí. Hablaba de ellos.
Los estudiantes de los que hablaba están aquí.
The students about whom I was talking are here (or The students [whom] I was talking about are here).

Spanish Pronouns     Spanish Prepositions

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