In this lesson, we will explore how to use relative clauses in Spanish to provide additional information about a noun in a sentence. Relative clauses can describe people, places, things, and experiences, enhancing your ability to communicate detailed and specific information effectively.
Objectives:
- Learn to form relative clauses using “que” and “donde.”
- Understand how to use prepositions with relative pronouns to refer to places.
- Practice forming sentences using relative clauses for everyday communication.
Grammar Point: Explaining how relative clauses are used in Spanish
1. Relative Clauses with “Que” (That, Who, Which)
- Structure: [noun] + que + [information]
- Examples:
- “Es una persona que tiene mucha paciencia.” (He/she is a person who has a lot of patience.)
- “Es un plato que comemos mucho en España.” (It is a dish that we eat a lot in Spain.)
2. Relative Clauses with “Donde” (Where)
- Structure: [place] + donde + [action]
- Examples:
- “Es un lugar donde se vive muy bien.” (It is a place where one lives very well.)
- “Es una ciudad donde se vive muy bien.” (It is a city where one lives very well.)
3. Using Prepositions with Relative Pronouns
- Preposition + Que/Dónde:
- “Es un lugar en el que se vive muy bien.” (It is a place in which one lives very well.)
- “Es una ciudad en la que se vive muy bien.” (It is a city in which one lives very well.)
- Preposition + Adonde:
- “Es un lugar al que voy mucho.” (It is a place to which I go often.)
- “Es una ciudad a la que voy mucho.” (It is a city to which I go often.)
4. Relative Clauses with “Por” (By, Through)
- Structure: [place] + por + que/donde + [action]
- Examples:
- “Es un lugar por el que paso cada día.” (It is a place through which I pass every day.)
- “Es una ciudad por la que paso cada día.” (It is a city through which I pass every day.)
- “Es un lugar por donde paso cada día.” (It is a place through which I pass every day.)
Familía García are recommending a restaurant using relative clauses
The dialogue among Familia García showcases a variety of Spanish tenses. Simple present tense is used for habitual actions or general truths. “Estar + gerundio” (present continuous) highlights ongoing activities, while “Ir + a + infinitive” expresses future intentions. Future tense is utilized for predictions or promises, and “pretérito perfecto” (present perfect) discusses actions that are completed but still relevant to the present.
The dialogue also integrates all forms of relative clauses, such as “que” for additional descriptive details, and “donde” to relate actions to specific places, enriching the conversation by linking descriptions seamlessly within their discussions.
| Spanish Dialogue | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Antonio: ¿Habéis oído hablar del nuevo restaurante al que todos van? | Antonio: Have you heard about the new restaurant everyone is going to? |
| Penélope: Sí, es un lugar donde siempre se come bien, según me dicen. | Penélope: Yes, it’s a place where one always eats well, I’m told. |
| Lucía: Es el restaurante sobre el que mi amiga siempre está hablando, el que tiene murales pintados por artistas locales. | Lucía: It’s the restaurant my friend is always talking about, the one that has murals painted by local artists. |
| Juan: Voy a ir allí con unos amigos este fin de semana. Quieren probar el plato que es famoso, esa increíble paella. | Juan: I’m going there with some friends this weekend. They want to try the dish it’s famous for, that amazing paella. |
| Abuela Rosa: Es una ciudad donde siempre se descubren cosas nuevas, un lugar donde nunca te aburres. | Abuela Rosa: It’s a city where you always discover new things, a place where you never get bored. |
| Abuelo Miguel: He conocido a uno de los chefs, el que antes trabajaba en ese restaurante famoso por su cocina experimental. | Abuelo Miguel: I have met one of the chefs, the one who used to work at that restaurant famous for its experimental cuisine. |
| Antonio: Vamos a planificar una cena allí la próxima semana. Es un buen momento para probar ese lugar del que todos hablan. | Antonio: Let’s plan a dinner there next week. It’s a good time to try that place everyone is talking about. |
| Penélope: ¡Perfecto! Buscaré en el menú que tanto turistas como locales alaban. Quiero ver qué platos ofrecen. | Penélope: Perfect! I’ll look up the menu that both tourists and locals rave about. I want to see what dishes they offer. |
| Lucía: Es un lugar al que quiero llevar a mis amigos cuando vengan de visita; creo que les encantará. | Lucía: It’s a place where I want to take my friends when they come to visit; I think they will love it. |
| Juan: Espero que sea un lugar donde pasemos un buen rato. Necesitamos algo diferente. | Juan: I hope it’s a place where we will have a good time. We need something different. |