Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Translating ‘which’ in relative clauses

In restrictive relative clauses

(a) If ‘which’ is not preceded by a preposition, then que should generally

be used:

No sé dónde he metido los pendientes que me compraste.

I don’t know where I’ve put the earrings which you bought for me.

(b) If ‘which’ is preceded by a preposition, an appropriate form from the

el queseries should be used:

Son cosas con las que la mayoría de la gente solamente

puede soñar.

They are things about which most people can only dream.

Era un tema al que echaban poca importancia.

It was a matter to which they attached little importance.

If the antecedent is a genderless word like algo ‘something’ or nada

‘nothing’, or an adjective preceded by lo, then the neuter pronoun lo que

should be used:

No hay nada por lo que tienes que estar preocupado.

There is nothing about which you need to be worried.

Lo único con lo que está contento es con sus trenecitos.

The only thing he is happy with is his toy trains.

‘Which’ in non-restrictive relative clauses

The rules are essentially as in 25.4.3.1:

Todavía recuerdo esos sermones, que tuvimos que

aguantar durante una semana.

I still remember those lectures, which we had to put up with for a

week.

Había dos cómodas antiguas, en las que guardaban toda

suerte de trastos.

There were two antique chests of drawers, in which they kept all

kinds of clutter.

In addition, neuter lo queand lo cual can be used on their own or after a

preposition. They are required when the antecedent is the preceding main

clause itself:

25.4.3.2

25.4.3.1

25.4.3^1111

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

12111

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

20111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

41111

25

Relative
clauses

260