Spanish Conversation · Level 1
86 words
Spanish word
que
Pronunciation
IPA/ke/
Meaning
- pronounthat
Example
La noticia que escuché me sorprendió.
The news that I heard surprised me.
More examples
Lo que dijiste cambió mi opinión.
What you said changed my opinion.
Core concept
Short linking word that introduces a clause identifying or explaining a previous noun or idea.
Common phrases
lo que
what
Similar words
quien: Introduces a clause that describes or identifies a person mentioned earlier.
lo que: Points to what was just said or to an indefinite thing using a neutral, general form.
Definition in Spanish
Palabra que funciona como pronombre relativo para unir y especificar un antecedente y también como conjunción que introduce oraciones subordinadas que completan o explican lo dicho.
Word origin
Etymologically from Latin quod 'which', que evolves from a relative pronoun into a general clause-introducing conjunction.
Usage tips
- Unlike English where 'that' is often omitted after verbs like say or think, Spanish normally keeps que in reported speech as in Me dijo que llegó tarde.
Other meanings
- thanconjunction
- whichpronoun
- whopronoun