Introduction
Relative pronouns and relative clauses are essential for connecting ideas and adding detail in Brazilian Portuguese. This guide explains how to use pronomes relativos like que, quem, o qual, cujo, onde, and como, with clear rules, examples, and usage notes for English-speaking learners from beginner to intermediate levels.
- What are relative pronouns and why they matter
- Basic relative pronouns: que and quem
- Formal relative pronouns: o qual, a qual, os quais, as quais
- Possessive relative pronoun: cujo
- Relative adverbs: onde, quando, como
- Prepositions with relative pronouns
- Defining vs non-defining relative clauses
- Omitting the relative pronoun
- Relative clauses with prepositional verbs and passive voice
- Common pitfalls and tips for learners
- Cultural and usage notes
- Quick reference table (in text)
- Putting it all together: longer example
- Conclusion
What are relative pronouns and why they matter
Relative pronouns link a main clause to a relative clause, providing extra information about a noun without starting a new sentence. In Portuguese, relative clauses are common in spoken and written language and help create more natural, precise sentences.
Understanding pronomes relativos lets you avoid repetition, add defining or non-defining information, and form complex sentences similar to English but with important differences in agreement, preposition placement, and relative pronoun choice.
Basic relative pronouns: que and quem
Que — the most versatile relative pronoun
Que is the default relative pronoun and can refer to people, things, or ideas. It often corresponds to English who, whom, which, and that. Use que when it functions as the subject or direct object of the relative clause.
Examples:
O livro
que eu comprei é interessante.
A pessoa
que você conheceu trabalha aqui.
Notes:
In spoken Portuguese, que is very common and often replaces other pronouns in informal contexts. It never agrees in gender or number; it is invariable.
Quem — used for people after prepositions or when isolated
Quem refers only to people and is used when the relative pronoun comes after a preposition or when the clause is introduced without an explicit antecedent (for example, after indefinite expressions).
Examples:
Conheci a mulher
de quem o filho é músico.
Quem estuda, aprende.
Notes:
Use quem when you would say whom after a preposition in English: a pessoa com quem falei. If there is no preposition and the pronoun acts as subject or direct object, many speakers still use que, especially in informal speech, but using quem is correct after prepositions.
Formal relative pronouns: o qual, a qual, os quais, as quais
When to use o qual and its forms
O qual (and its feminine and plural forms a qual, os quais, as quais) is more formal and is used for clarity, especially in writing, when the antecedent is long or when a preposition is required. They agree in gender and number with the antecedent.
Examples:
O documento,
o qual foi assinado ontem, é oficial.
A empresa para
a qual trabalho fica no centro.
Notes:
In everyday speech, que often replaces o qual, but using o qual avoids ambiguity when the sentence has several possible antecedents or complex prepositional phrases.
Possessive relative pronoun: cujo
Meaning and agreement
Cujo expresses possession and corresponds to English whose, but it must agree in gender and number with the noun that follows it, not with the possessor. The forms are cujo, cuja, cujos, cujas.
Examples:
Conheço a cantora
cuja voz é incrível.
O aluno
cujos pais moram longe veio visitar.
Notes:
Cujo is more formal and less common in colloquial speech, where speakers might use constructions with de quem or que tem instead: a cantora de quem falei; o aluno que tem pais que moram longe.
Relative adverbs: onde, quando, como
Onde — place
Onde is used for places and corresponds to where. Use onde when referring to a location indicated by the antecedent.
Examples:
Esta é a cidade
onde nasci.
O parque
onde brincávamos foi reformado.
Quando — time
Quando is used to refer to times or moments and corresponds to when.
Examples:
O dia
quando nos conhecemos foi especial.
Lembre-se do momento
quando tudo mudou.
Como — manner
Como refers to manner or way and corresponds to how. It often follows expressions like do jeito que or da forma que, but it can stand alone when the antecedent implies a method or manner.
Examples:
Mostre-me o jeito
como você resolve o problema.
Explique a forma
como devemos proceder.
Prepositions with relative pronouns
Portuguese requires prepositions to be placed before the relative pronoun in formal registers, similar to English. However, the choice of pronoun after a preposition matters.
Rules:
– Use a preposition + quem when the antecedent is a person: com quem, de quem, para quem.
– Use preposition + o qual/a qual for clarity or formality: com o qual, sobre a qual.
– You can sometimes omit the preposition in informal speech when using que, especially with direct objects, but this can change meaning or sound ungrammatical in formal contexts.
Examples:
A pessoa com
quem viajei é minha amiga.
O assunto sobre
o qual falamos foi resolvido.
Informal alternative:
A pessoa que viajei com é minha amiga. (common in speech but avoided in formal writing)
Defining vs non-defining relative clauses
Portuguese distinguishes restrictive (defining) clauses that identify which person or thing is meant from non-restrictive (non-defining) clauses that add extra information.
Defining clauses:
Do not use commas. The clause is essential to identify the antecedent.
Example:
Os alunos
que estudaram passaram no exame.
Non-defining clauses:
Use commas to enclose additional information. The antecedent is already clear.
Example:
Meu irmão,
que mora em São Paulo, veio me visitar.
Notes:
In non-defining clauses, o qual and cujo can appear, but quem is less common unless referring to people in certain constructions. Use commas to signal the extra information.
Omitting the relative pronoun
In Portuguese, it is common to omit the relative pronoun when the relative clause uses a finite verb and the pronoun would be the direct object. This is similar to English omitting that in clauses like the book I read.
Examples:
O filme que vi ontem foi ótimo. (cannot omit que here)
Tenho um amigo
moro perto. (incorrect — the relative pronoun cannot be omitted if needed for clarity)
However, with infinitives and certain constructions, Portuguese allows omission or rephrasing: Tenho um livro para ler. If you want a relative clause with an explicit antecedent, use a relative pronoun.
Relative clauses with prepositional verbs and passive voice
When the verb in the relative clause requires a preposition, you must include the preposition before the relative pronoun. Passive constructions often use que as a subject or object depending on the sentence structure.
Examples:
O professor de
quem falei saiu cedo. (verb falar requires preposition de when referring to someone)
A casa
em que fui criado é antiga. (em que for place with preposition em)
Common pitfalls and tips for learners
1. Choosing between que and quem: Use quem only for people and typically after prepositions. Otherwise, que is safer in everyday speech.
2. Agreement with cujo: Remember that cujo agrees with the thing possessed, not with the possessor.
3. Avoid overusing o qual in speech: It is correct but can sound stiff in conversation; reserve it for formal writing or clarity.
4. Watch prepositions: Never drop a necessary preposition in formal writing. Informally, people move prepositions to the end with que, but this is colloquial.
5. Use commas correctly: Non-defining clauses need commas; defining clauses do not.
Cultural and usage notes
Brazilian Portuguese tends to favor simpler constructions in everyday conversation. Speakers often use que where formal grammar might suggest o qual or even restructure sentences to avoid complex relative clauses. Formal writing, literature, and legal texts use a wider range of pronomes relativos including cujo and o qual to ensure precision.
Also, preposition placement can differ between European and Brazilian Portuguese in some formal registers; Brazilians commonly use placements that feel more natural in speech. When learning, prioritize clarity first, then adapt to register depending on whether you are writing or speaking informally.
Quick reference table (in text)
que — people or things, subject or object, very common
quem — people only, often after prepositions or when standalone
o qual / a qual / os quais / as quais — formal, agrees with antecedent, follows prepositions
cujo / cuja / cujos / cujas — possession, agrees with the possessed noun
onde — place, where
quando — time, when
como — manner, how
Putting it all together: longer example
Complex sentence example with explanations:
Encontrei a escritora
cuja obra foi traduzida,
a cidade
onde ela nasceu é pequena,
e a editora para
a qual ela trabalha publicou seu novo livro.
Explanation:
cuja obra foi traduzida — shows possession (her work), cuja agrees with obra.
onde ela nasceu — indicates place (where she was born).
para a qual ela trabalha — formal preposition + relative pronoun, clarifies the relationship with the publisher.
Conclusion
Mastering pronomes relativos and relative clauses helps you build nuanced and natural Brazilian Portuguese sentences. Start with que and quem, learn where to use o qual and cujo for clarity and formality, and pay attention to prepositions and commas. With practice, you will connect ideas more precisely and sound more fluent in both spoken and written Portuguese.
