Introduction
Relative pronouns connect clauses and give extra information about people, things, places, or ideas. In Brazilian Portuguese, three of the most common relative pronouns are que, quem, and onde. This article explains when and how to use each one, with clear examples and useful tips for English-speaking learners.
Overview: What are relative pronouns?
Relative pronouns link a main clause to a subordinate (relative) clause, adding details without starting a new sentence. In English we use words like who, which, that, and where. In Brazilian Portuguese, que, quem, and onde cover many of these functions. Understanding their roles helps you build more natural and compact sentences.
Core ideas to remember
Que is the most versatile: it can refer to people, objects, and ideas and often translates as who, that, or which. Quem refers only to people and usually follows a preposition or is used when the relative clause has its own subject. Onde refers to places and translates as where. Context, verb placement, and contractions affect how you use them.
Using que
Que is the workhorse of Portuguese relative pronouns. It can function as both subject and object and is used for people and things. It rarely changes form and does not require agreement in gender or number.
Que as object (most common)
When que replaces the direct object in the relative clause, the verb follows normally and no preposition is required.
Example:
O livro que eu li foi ótimo.
The book that I read was great.
Here, que stands for o livro and is object of li.
Que as subject
If que replaces the subject, the verb agrees with the antecedent and the structure remains simple.
Example:
A música que toca agora é brasileira.
The song that is playing now is Brazilian.
Here, que refers to a música and acts as subject of toca.
Que with people vs things
Que can refer to both pessoas and coisas. For people, English speakers often expect who instead of that or which, but que is completely natural in Portuguese.
Example:
A pessoa que me ajudou mora perto.
The person who helped me lives nearby.
Que after prepositions
When a preposition is needed, Portuguese prefers not to use que by itself for people; instead, you often use a combination with quem or a prepositional pronoun. For things, prepositions + o qual/a qual are possible in formal registers, but everyday speech uses preposition + que less frequently.
Example (informal for things):
O lugar que eu falei é bonito. (I spoke about the place)
Example (formal for things):
O lugar pelo qual eu passei foi histórico. (The place through which I passed)
Using quem
Quem is restricted to people and is often used after prepositions or when the relative clause contains its own subject. It can mean who or whom depending on the clause role, but Portuguese does not explicitly mark subjective vs. objective case the way English does.
Quem after prepositions
Use quem after prepositions such as com, para, de, por, entre, and com. This is common and natural in spoken and written Brazilian Portuguese.
Example:
A professora com quem eu estudei é ótima.
The teacher with whom I studied is great.
Quem as subject vs object
Although quem generally refers to people, its role in the clause determines translation into English. When quem is the subject of the relative clause, it corresponds to who. When it is the object, it corresponds to whom or who depending on informal vs formal English.
Example subject:
Quem trabalha aqui conhece a cidade.
Those who work here know the city.
Example object after preposition:
A amiga para quem liguei voltou hoje.
The friend whom I called back returned today. / The friend I called back returned today.
When to prefer quem over que
Although que can refer to people in many contexts, use quem when there is a preposition directly before the relative pronoun or when you want to emphasize the person. In formal writing, preposition + quem is preferred for clarity.
Example contrast:
O homem que chegou cedo é meu tio. (The man who arrived early is my uncle.)
O homem com quem conversei é meu tio. (The man with whom I talked is my uncle.)
Using onde
Onde means where and refers to places or locations. It replaces relative constructions like in which or at which and is used when the clause indicates location or direction.
Onde with places
Use onde when the antecedent is a location or institution. Onde often eliminates the need for a preposition, because the idea of location is built into the pronoun.
Example:
A cidade onde nasci é pequena.
The city where I was born is small.
Onde vs preposition + o qual
In formal writing, you might see preposition + o qual/a qual replacing onde, especially when referring to non-literal locations or abstract contexts. For everyday speech, onde is usually natural and preferred.
Example formal:
O local no qual fomos tem história. (The place in which we went has history.)
Example informal:
O lugar onde fomos tem história.
Omitting prepositions with onde
Avoid adding a preposition immediately before onde when the preposition duplicates the meaning of onde. For example, do not say em onde in many situations; instead use onde or happier alternatives. However, em onde can appear in spoken Brazilian Portuguese and is acceptable in some contexts—be mindful of register.
Natural:
O restaurante onde comemos é famoso.
Less natural (but heard in speech):
O restaurante em onde comemos é famoso.
Combining relative pronouns with verbs and tenses
The relative clause follows normal sentence rules: verb tense matches the sense of time, and subject-verb agreement remains with the antecedent. Relative pronouns do not carry tense; they only link clauses.
Tense choices
If the action in the relative clause refers to the present, use present indicative or present continuous. For past actions, use preterite or imperfect depending on aspect. For hypothetical or future events, use conditional or future tenses as appropriate.
Examples:
O filme que eu vejo agora é emocionante. (present)
A música que ouvi ontem ficou na cabeça. (preterite)
Pronoun + verb order
Relative clauses often follow subject-verb order, but pronoun placement and clitic pronouns in Portuguese can affect word order in more advanced constructions. For beginner to intermediate learners, focus on the simple pattern: antecedent + relative pronoun + clause.
Example:
A mulher que chegou saiu cedo.
Common mistakes and tips
Many learners confuse que and quem, or add unnecessary prepositions before onde. Here are practical tips to avoid errors.
Tip 1: Choose by function, not by translation
Decide whether the antecedent is a person, thing, or place, and whether the relative pronoun is the subject or object of its clause.
If person + preposition => use quem.
If place => use onde.
Otherwise, default to que.
Tip 2: Do not change que for gender or number
Unlike adjectives, que does not agree in gender or number. The verb and articles determine agreement.
Example:
As casas que vi eram grandes. (Not *quas)
Tip 3: Formal vs informal registers
In formal writing, preposition + o qual/a qual is often used instead of plain que when the relative clause requires a preposition. For everyday speech, que, quem, and onde are natural and clear.
Formal example:
A empresa à qual me candidatei respondeu.
Informal: A empresa que eu me candidatei respondeu. (colloquial and commonly heard)
Natural examples in Brazilian Portuguese
Below are practical sentences showing each pronoun in context. Read them aloud to feel the rhythm and structure.
Que as object:
O filme que vimos ontem era engraçado.
O amigo que convidaram não veio.
Que as subject:
A comida que está na mesa é caseira.
As soluções que aparecem dependem do contexto.
Quem after preposition:
O colega com quem trabalho é eficiente.
Mulheres a quem admirei me inspiraram.
Quem as subject (generalized):
Quem estuda consegue progresso.
Quem chega cedo pega vaga.
Onde for places:
A cidade onde moro tem praias.
A escola onde estudei mudou de prédio.
Usage notes and cultural context
In Brazilian Portuguese, spoken language tends to favor simpler relative constructions. People commonly use que for both people and things in casual conversation. Formal written Brazilian Portuguese retains preposition + o qual/a qual patterns, but they sound stiff in everyday speech. Also, regional variations influence preference for em onde vs onde; listening to native speakers from Brazil will help you internalize the most natural choices.
Advanced pointers
As you progress, pay attention to combinations with clitic pronouns (me, te, se, nos) and passive constructions. Reported speech and relative clauses with verbs in the subjunctive will appear when expressing doubt, desire, or hypothetical scenarios. For example, a subjunctive in a relative clause can show uncertainty about the described attribute.
Example subjunctive:
Procuro alguém que fale português fluentemente.
I am looking for someone who speaks Portuguese fluently. (subjunctive because of search/uncertainty)
Conclusion
Mastering que, quem, and onde makes your Portuguese sentences more precise and natural. Use que for most objects and subjects, quem for people especially after prepositions, and onde for places. Pay attention to formality and prepositions, listen to native Brazilian Portuguese, and practice reading sentences to internalize patterns. With these rules, your relative clauses will sound much more fluent and idiomatic.
