Relative Pronouns and Clauses

Relative pronouns are essential in connecting two sentences together and forming more complex and smoother conversations. In Portuguese, these pronouns are used to introduce subordinate clauses that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. This guide will walk you through the usage and forms of relative pronouns in Portuguese.

The Most Common Relative Pronouns

In Portuguese, the most commonly used relative pronouns are:

• que (that, which, who)
• quem (who, whom)
• qual (which, that)
• cujo (whose)

Let's explore how to use each one of them:

1. que

The pronoun que is a versatile relative pronoun that can refer to both people and things. It can be used as a subject or an object in the subordinate clause.

Examples:

• O livro que eu li é muito interessante. (The book that I read is very interesting.)
• A pessoa que você encontrou é minha irmã. (The person whom you met is my sister.)

2. quem

The pronoun quem is used when referring to people and can be used as the subject or object of the clause.

Examples:

• A pessoa com quem eu falei é o meu amigo. (The person whom I spoke to is my friend.)
• O amigo a quem eu convidei está vindo. (The friend whom I invited is coming.)

3. qual

The pronoun qual is used when referring to things and can be used as the subject or object of the clause. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to.

Examples:

• O carro no qual eu viajei era confortável. (The car in which I traveled was comfortable.)
• O livro com o qual você está se referindo? (The book to which you are referring?)

4. cujo

The pronoun cujo is used to indicate possession or relationship and agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to.

Examples:

• O homem cujo filho estuda comigo é professor. (The man whose son studies with me is a teacher.)
• O livro, cuja capa está rasgada, é meu. (The book, whose cover is torn, is mine.)

Position of Relative Pronouns

In Portuguese, the relative pronoun usually comes immediately after the noun or pronoun it refers to.

Examples:

• O menino que eu vi na rua estava correndo. (The boy that I saw on the street was running.)
• A casa em que moramos é muito bonita. (The house in which we live is very beautiful.)

Summary

• Relative pronouns are used to connect two sentences and provide additional information.
• The most common relative pronouns in Portuguese are que (that, which, who), quem (who, whom), qual (which, that), and cujo (whose).
• The position of the relative pronoun is immediately after the noun or pronoun it refers to.

With this knowledge of relative pronouns, you will be able to construct more complex sentences and have smoother conversations in Portuguese. Practice using these pronouns in various contexts to solidify your understanding.