(a)El que, etc. can also mean ‘he who’, ‘the one which’, etc. (see 4.3.1). El que (but
none of the other forms given here) is also used as a complementizer (see 26.1.1).(b)El que/el cual etc. are preferred- when there is a break in intonation (a comma in print) between the antecedent
noun and the relative clause:
Llegó otro turista, el cual se quejó de los precios.
Another tourist, who complained about the prices, arrived. - when the relative pronoun refers to a specific person or object:
Esta es la iglesia en la que nos casamos.
This is the church we got married in.
(c)El que/el cual etc. are not normally used when they immediately follow their
antecedent noun and there is no break in intonation (no comma in print):
El chico que conociste en México era mi hermano. (el cual or el que
would sound very odd here)
The boy you met in Mexico was my brother.
(d)El que/el cual (or quien(es))must be used after a preposition other than those
mentioned above, or with a and de when these have a directional meaning such as
‘to(wards)’, ‘from’:
Yo escuchaba lo que decía mi tío, según el cual la empresa podría ser
muy peligrosa.
I was listening to my uncle, according to whom the enterprise could be
very dangerous.
A lo lejos divisé una iglesia, a la que me dirigí con paso alegre.
In the distance I made out a church, to which I made my way happily.
(e) See also neuter lo que, lo cual (see 2.7).
11.3Quien(es)
(a)Quien (pl. quienes) refers only to people, and may be used in more or less the same
circumstances as el que/el cual.
la chica a quien quiere
the girl he loves
Isabel quería ir a ver a su madre, quien estaba muy enferma.
Isabel wanted to go and see her mother, who was very ill.
el estudiante hacia quien ibas
the student you were going towards
(b)Quien(es), like el que, etc. (see 4.3.1), also has the meaning of ‘he who’, etc.
Quien no tenga dinero no puede entrar.
Those who have no money cannot come in.18.2.5 (p. 90)
RELATIVE PRONOUNS 11.3