Relative, demonstrative, indefinite, possessive and interrogative pronouns

Q: What is the relative pronoun que and how is it used?

Que means "that", "which", or "who"; it is invariable and is the most common relative pronoun in Spanish.

Q: When should you use quien or quienes instead of que ?

Use quien / quienes strictly for people either after a preposition (e.g. con quien ) or within a non-defining relative clause separated by commas.

Q: What are compound relative pronouns ( el que / el cual ) and when are they used?

They are variable relative pronouns ( el que / la que / los que / las que and el cual / la cual / los cuales / las cuales ) used to avoid ambiguity, after complex prepositions, or to mean "the one who" / "those who".

Q: When should you use the neuter relative pronouns lo que and lo cual ?

Use lo que or lo cual when referring back to a whole clause, situation, or abstract idea rather than a specific gendered noun.

Q: What is the agreement rule for the relative adjective/pronoun cuyo ?

Cuyo / cuya / cuyos / cuyas ("whose") must agree in gender and number with the noun possessed that follows it, not with the owner.

Q: How are the three spatial distances expressed using Spanish demonstrative pronouns?

Use este/esta/estos/estas for items near the speaker, ese/esa/esos/esas for items near the listener, and aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas for items far from both.

Q: What are the primary invariable indefinite pronouns for people and things in Spanish?

For people, use alguien (someone) and nadie (nobody); for things, use algo (something) and nada (nothing).

Q: How are standard possessive pronouns formed in Spanish?

They are formed with the definite article ( el / la / los / las ) plus the stressed possessive form ( mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro, vuestro, suyo ), agreeing with the item possessed.

Spanish 7691 · AQA AS Level · 11 min read · Updated: 7 Sept 2026

Grammar Masterclass: Pronouns (Relative, Demonstrative, Indefinite, Possessive & Interrogative)

Welcome to your comprehensive guide to Spanish pronouns for AQA AS Level Spanish (7691)! Pronouns are the essential building blocks that replace nouns, prevent clunky repetition, and allow your Spanish to flow naturally. Whether you are translating a text in Paper 1, writing your analytical essay in Paper 2, or speaking fluently in Paper 3, mastering these five pronoun families will instantly boost your grammatical accuracy (AO3). Don't worry if some of these rules seem tricky at first—we will break them down step by step with clear rules, everyday examples, and simple memory tricks.

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1. Relative Pronouns (Pronombres Relativos)

Relative pronouns act like bridges: they connect two clauses by referring back to a noun or idea already mentioned (known as the antecedent).

A. The Workhorse: que

que means "that", "which", or "who". It is invariable (it never changes for gender or number) and is by far the most common relative pronoun in Spanish.

• El libro que compré es fascinante. (The book that/which I bought is fascinating.)
• La mujer que vive aquí es abogada. (The woman who lives here is a lawyer.)

B. People Only: quien / quienes

quien (singular) and quienes (plural) refer only to people. Use them in two specific contexts:

1. After prepositions (con, de, para, a, por, etc.):
• El autor con quien hablé nació en Sevilla. (The author with whom I spoke was born in Seville.)
• Los estudiantes para quienes preparé el material aprobaron. (The students for whom I prepared the material passed.)

2. In non-defining clauses (clauses surrounded by commas that add extra information):
• Mi profesor, quien sabe mucho sobre el tema, me ayudó. (My teacher, who knows a lot about the topic, helped me.)

C. Compound Relatives: el que & el cual

These forms agree in gender and number with the noun they replace:

• Singular: el que / la que and el cual / la cual
• Plural: los que / las que and los cuales / las cuales

When to use them:
1. To clear up ambiguity: If a sentence mentions two nouns, these pronouns make it clear which one you mean based on gender/number.
2. After complex prepositions: e.g., cerca de, delante de, gracias a, a través de.
• La empresa gracias a la cual conseguí trabajo... (The company thanks to which I got a job...)
3. Independent use (el que family only): Translates to "the one who", "he who", or "those who".
• Los que quieren entrar deben pagar. (Those who want to enter must pay.)

D. Abstract Ideas: lo que & lo cual

When you want to refer back to a whole sentence, situation, or abstract idea rather than a specific gendered noun, use the neuter forms lo que or lo cual ("what" / "which").

• No entendí lo que dijo. (I didn't understand what he said.)
• Llegó tarde, lo cual molestó al profesor. (He arrived late, which annoyed the teacher.)

E. Receptive Only: cuyo / cuya / cuyos / cuyas (whose)

AQA AS Note: Cuyo is designated as Receptive only (R) at AS Level—meaning you need to recognise and translate it in reading and listening tasks.

Golden Rule of Agreement: Cuyo acts like an adjective and agrees in gender and number with the noun possessed (the noun that comes after it), NOT the person who possesses it!

• El autor cuyo libro es famoso... (The author whose book is famous...)
• El director cuya película ganó un premio... (The director whose film won an award... [agrees with feminine película])

Key Takeaway: Use que for everyday links, quien for people after prepositions or between commas, lo que / lo cual for whole ideas, and remember that cuyo matches the noun that follows it.

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2. Demonstrative Pronouns (Pronombres Demostrativos)

Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things or people based on how close or far away they are in space or time.

The Three Distance Zones

1. Near the speaker ("this / these"):
• Masculine: este / estos
• Feminine: esta / estas
• No quiero esta camisa, prefiero esta. (I don't want this shirt, I prefer this one.)

2. Near the listener / moderate distance ("that / those"):
• Masculine: ese / esos
• Feminine: esa / esas
• Ese argumento es débil, pero ese tiene sentido. (That argument is weak, but that one makes sense.)

3. Far from both speaker and listener / distant past ("that over there / those over there"):
• Masculine: aquel / aquellos
• Feminine: aquella / aquellas
• De todos los coches, aquel es el más rápido. (Of all the cars, that one over there is the fastest.)

Neuter Demonstratives: esto, eso, aquello

Use neuter forms when referring to an unknown object, a statement, or a general situation ("this thing", "that concept").

• Esto (this matter / this thing): Esto es inaceptable. (This is unacceptable.)
• Eso (that matter / that thing): Eso no tiene sentido. (That doesn't make sense.)
• Aquello (that distant matter): Aquello fue una tragedia. (That [event in the distant past] was a tragedy.)

Important Accent Mark Rule (RAE Standard):
Modern Spanish rules (RAE) do not require accent marks on demonstrative pronouns (este, ese, aquel) unless there is genuine risk of ambiguity. Neuter demonstratives (esto, eso, aquello) never take an accent mark under any circumstances.

Key Takeaway: Remember the distance hierarchy: este (here by me), ese (there by you), aquel (way over there). Use esto / eso / aquello for general situations or unspecified things.

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3. Indefinite Pronouns (Pronombres Indefinidos)

Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things in a non-specific or general way.

A. Invariable Pairs: Persons vs. Things

• People: alguien (someone / somebody) \(\leftrightarrow\) nadie (nobody / no one)
• Things: algo (something / anything) \(\leftrightarrow\) nada (nothing / not anything)

Examples:
• ¿Hay alguien en la sala? (Is there someone in the room?)
• No hay nadie. (There is nobody.)
• Quiero comer algo. (I want to eat something.)
• No sé nada del examen. (I don't know anything about the exam.)

B. Variable Forms (Agreement in Gender and Number)

• alguno / alguna / algunos / algunas (some, someone, any, pl. a few)
• ninguno / ninguna (none, not any, no one — rarely used in the plural)
• ¿Tienes problemas? No tengo ninguno. (Do you have problems? I don't have any.)
• De las propuestas, algunas son inviables. (Of the proposals, some are unfeasible.)

C. Other Key Indefinites

• cualquiera (plural: cualesquiera) = "anyone", "anybody", "whichever":
Cualquiera puede aprender un idioma. (Anyone can learn a language.)
• otro / otra / otros / otras = "other", "another", "others":
Este bolígrafo no funciona; dame otro. (This pen doesn't work; give me another one.)

D. The Spanish Double Negative Rule

In Spanish, a double negative is grammatically required when the negative word comes after the verb!

• Verb first: You MUST include no before the verb: No + [Verb] + [Negative Pronoun]
No vino nadie. (Nobody came.)
No dijo nada. (He/she said nothing.)
• Negative pronoun first: Do NOT use no: [Negative Pronoun] + [Verb]
Nadie vino. (Nobody came.)
Nada ocurrió. (Nothing happened.)

Key Takeaway: If nadie, nada, or ninguno sits after your verb, you must put no in front of the verb. Never say un otro—just use otro!

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4. Possessive Pronouns (Pronombres Posesivos)

Possessive pronouns replace a noun while showing who owns it (e.g., "mine", "yours", "theirs").

Forms & Agreement Table

Standard possessive pronouns are formed using the definite article (el / la / los / las) + stressed possessive form. They agree in gender and number with the item possessed, not the owner:

• 1st Person Sing. (mine): el mío / la mía / los míos / las mías
• 2nd Person Sing. [tú] (yours): el tuyo / la tuya / los tuyos / las tuyas
• 3rd Person Sing. [él/ella/Ud.] (his / hers / yours formal): el suyo / la suya / los suyos / las suyas
• 1st Person Plur. [nosotros] (ours): el nuestro / la nuestra / los nuestros / las nuestras
• 2nd Person Plur. [vosotros] (yours informal pl.): el vuestro / la vuestra / los vuestros / las vuestras
• 3rd Person Plur. [ellos/ellas/Uds.] (theirs / yours formal pl.): el suyo / la suya / los suyos / las suyas

Examples:
• Mi ensayo es largo, pero el tuyo es más detallado. (My essay is long, but yours is more detailed.)
• Nuestras ideas son buenas; las suyas son excelentes. (Our ideas are good; theirs / his / hers are excellent.)

Special Usage Rules

1. After the verb ser: Drop the definite article unless you are singling out one specific item from a group.
• Este bolígrafo es mío. (This pen is mine.)
• El bolígrafo azul es el mío. (The blue pen is the one that is mine.)

2. Body Parts & Clothing (AQA Specification Highlight):
In Spanish, you do not use possessive adjectives or possessive pronouns for body parts and personal belongings. Instead, use an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) + the definite article.

• Correct: Le rompió el brazo. (He broke his/her arm.)
• Incorrect: Rompió su brazo.
• Correct: Se lavó las manos. (He/she washed his/her hands.)

Key Takeaway: Match possessive pronouns to the object possessed (e.g., las mías for feminine plural items). For body parts, use the indirect object + article construction (me duele la cabeza, le rompió el brazo).

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5. Interrogative & Exclamatory Pronouns (Pronombres Interrogativos y Exclamativos)

These pronouns are used to ask questions (direct or indirect) and to make exclamations.

The Golden Rule: Written Accent Marks (Tilde Diacrítica)

Every single interrogative and exclamatory word MUST carry a written accent mark, whether in a direct question (with question marks) or an indirect question embedded in a statement!

• ¿qué? / ¡qué! (what / how...)
• ¿quién? / ¿quiénes? (who / whom)
• ¿cuál? / ¿cuáles? (which / which one / what)
• ¿cuánto / cuánta / cuántos / cuántas? / ¡cuánto...! (how much / how many / how...)

Indirect Question Examples:
• No sé quién es. (I don't know who it is.)
• Quiero saber qué piensas. (I want to know what you think.)
• Dime cuál prefieres. (Tell me which one you prefer.)

Crucial Distinction: ¿Qué? vs. ¿Cuál?

This is one of the most frequently tested areas in AS Spanish exams!

1. ¿Qué + ser? asks for a DEFINITION or EXPLANATION:
• ¿Qué es la globalización? (What is globalization? [Define it])
• ¿Qué es el cambio climático? (What is climate change?)

2. ¿Cuál + ser? asks for a CHOICE, SELECTION, or IDENTIFICATION:
• ¿Cuál es tu opinión? (What is your opinion? [Choose your stance from all possibilities])
• ¿Cuál es el problema principal? (What is the main problem?)
• ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? (What is your phone number?)

3. Direct modification of nouns: Always use qué directly before a noun, never cuál:
• ¿Qué medidas debemos tomar? (What measures should we take?)

Key Takeaway: Always place an accent mark on question words (even in indirect questions like No sé qué hacer). Never translate "What is your opinion / name / problem?" as ¿Qué es...?; always use ¿Cuál es...?

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Common Pitfalls & Examiner Warnings

To secure top AO3 marks in your translations and essays, avoid these common traps reported by examiners:

• Trap 1: The "Un Otro" Blunder
Incorrect: *Necesito un otro ejemplo.
Correct: Necesito otro ejemplo. (English says "another", Spanish just says otro).

• Trap 2: The ¿Qué es tu opinión? Error
Incorrect: *¿Qué es tu opinión sobre la película?
Correct: ¿Cuál es tu opinión sobre la película? (Use cuál with ser for personal choices/opinions).

• Trap 3: Forgetting the Accent in Indirect Questions
Incorrect: *No entiendo que quieres decir.
Correct: No entiendo qué quieres decir.

• Trap 4: Missing the No in Double Negatives
Incorrect: *Veo a nadie en la calle.
Correct: No veo a nadie en la calle. (Negative word after verb requires no before verb).

• Trap 5: Mismatching Cuyo
Incorrect: *El director cuyo película tuvo éxito...
Correct: El director cuya película tuvo éxito... (Cuya must agree with feminine película).

• Trap 6: Using el que instead of Neuter lo que for Concepts
Incorrect: *El gobierno aprobó la ley, el que causó protestas.
Correct: El gobierno aprobó la ley, lo que / lo cual causó protestas.

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Quick Revision Checklist

1. Relatives: Use que for things/people without prepositions; quien(es) for people after prepositions or in commas; lo que / lo cual for whole ideas; cuyo/a/os/as matches the noun that follows.
2. Demonstratives: este (this), ese (that), aquel (that over there). Use esto / eso / aquello for abstract situations (no accents needed).
3. Indefinites: alguien / nadie (people), algo / nada (things), alguno / ninguno (variable). Apply double negatives when negative words follow the verb.
4. Possessives: Article + stressed form (el mío, la tuya, los nuestros). Use indirect object pronouns for body parts (se lavó la cara, le rompió el brazo).
5. Interrogatives: Always use accents (¿qué?, ¿quién?, ¿cuál?, ¿cuánto?). Use ¿cuál es...? for choices/opinions and ¿qué es...? for definitions.

Quick check

Can you answer these now?

Open each question to check the key ideas from this chapter.

What is the relative pronoun que and how is it used?

Que means "that", "which", or "who"; it is invariable and is the most common relative pronoun in Spanish.

When should you use quien or quienes instead of que?

Use quien / quienes strictly for people either after a preposition (e.g. con quien) or within a non-defining relative clause separated by commas.

What are compound relative pronouns (el que / el cual) and when are they used?

They are variable relative pronouns (el que / la que / los que / las que and el cual / la cual / los cuales / las cuales) used to avoid ambiguity, after complex prepositions, or to mean "the one who" / "those who".

When should you use the neuter relative pronouns lo que and lo cual?

Use lo que or lo cual when referring back to a whole clause, situation, or abstract idea rather than a specific gendered noun.

What is the agreement rule for the relative adjective/pronoun cuyo?

Cuyo / cuya / cuyos / cuyas ("whose") must agree in gender and number with the noun possessed that follows it, not with the owner.

How are the three spatial distances expressed using Spanish demonstrative pronouns?

Use este/esta/estos/estas for items near the speaker, ese/esa/esos/esas for items near the listener, and aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas for items far from both.

When are the neuter demonstratives esto, eso, and aquello used?

They are used to refer to abstract ideas, unidentified objects, or general situations, and they never carry an accent mark.

What are the primary invariable indefinite pronouns for people and things in Spanish?

For people, use alguien (someone) and nadie (nobody); for things, use algo (something) and nada (nothing).

How does the double negative rule work when using negative indefinite pronouns in Spanish?

If the negative word comes after the verb, no must be placed before the verb; if the negative word precedes the verb, no is omitted.

How are standard possessive pronouns formed in Spanish?

They are formed with the definite article (el / la / los / las) plus the stressed possessive form (mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro, vuestro, suyo), agreeing with the item possessed.

How does Spanish express possession with body parts and personal clothing?

Spanish uses an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) or reflexive pronoun plus the definite article, rather than possessive pronouns or adjectives.

What is the general spelling rule for all interrogative and exclamatory pronouns?

All interrogative and exclamatory words must carry a written accent mark (tilde diacrítica), in both direct and indirect questions.

What is the key difference between ¿qué? and ¿cuál? when used with the verb ser?

¿Qué + ser? asks for a definition or explanation, whereas ¿Cuál + ser? asks for an identification, selection, or personal choice.

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