What are Relative Pronouns?
Relative pronouns are words that link a sentence to another by referring back to a noun or pronoun that has been mentioned previously.
They are used to provide more information about something without starting a new sentence, making your speech more fluid and natural, for example:
Ieri ho conosciuto una ragazza. La ragazza viene da Roma.
Yesterday I met a girl. The girl comes from Rome.
Ieri ho conosciuto una ragazza che viene da Roma.
Yesterday I met a girl who comes from Rome.
Italian Relative Pronouns
Che – Who, Which, That
Che is the most commonly used relative pronoun in Italian. It’s can refer to people, things, or concepts and this is why “that”, “who”, and “which” in Italian are all translated with the same word che.
It is used with transitive verbs, as it substitutes either subjects or direct objects in sentences. Also, it never varies, meaning it does not need to agree in gender and number.
Questa è la foto che abbiamo fatto al primo appuntamento.
This is the photo that we took on our first date.
In this sentence, che refers to la foto (the photo).
Ho notato che hai perso peso!
I noticed that you lost weight!
Here, che connects the two sentences, where one is composed of the verb notare (to notice) and the other is the observation.
Cui – Whom, Which
The Italian relative pronoun cui is often used with prepositions and can as well refer to people, animals, or things. It is used to indicate possession or relationships, translating as “whom”, “which”, or “that” in English.
It is used with intransitive verbs, which explains why it typically requires prepositions. Just like che, it is used for both singular and plural, masculine and feminine nouns.
Questo è l’amico con cui ho viaggiato.
This is the friend with whom I traveled.
Cui follows the preposition con (with) to indicate the relationship.
Il libro in cui hai scritto è sul tavolo.
The book in which you wrote is on the table.
Here, cui follows the preposition in to specify where the action occurred.
Il Quale – Who, Which
The Italian il quale can be used both as che and cui, therefore linking sentences with both transitive and intransitive verbs. It is more formal and less frequently used than the other two relative pronouns.
The only aspect you have to keep in mind is that, unlike che and cui, it varies depending on the gender and the number of the noun or noun phrase it refers to.
These are the four forms you can find:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | il quale | la quale |
| Plural | i quali | le quali |
L’insegnante, il quale ha spiegato la lezione, è molto paziente.
The teacher, who explained the lesson, is very patient.
Here, il quale refers to l’insegnante (the teacher). We could substitute for it with che and nothing would change.
Gli studenti con i quali ho fatto l’esame erano soddisfatti.
The students with whom I did the exam were satisfied.
Here, it refers to gli studenti (the students) and is preceded by the preposition con (with).
Practical Tips for Using Relative Pronouns
Trust me, it is easier than you think. Just follow these three easy steps:
- Understand the antecedent: the first thing you have to do to choose the right relative pronoun is to identify the noun the pronoun refers to.
- Learn the prepositions: when using the Italian relative pronoun cui prepositions are mandatory. Make sure you learned their meanings and how to use them.
- Match gender and number: when using il quale make sure it always match the gender and number of the noun.
