Portuguese Adjective Clauses (que, quem, onde, cujo)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Relative pronouns connect two sentences by replacing a repeated noun, making your Portuguese flow like a native speaker's.
- Use 'que' for people or things: 'O livro que eu li é bom.'
- Use 'quem' only for people, usually after a preposition: 'A pessoa com quem falei.'
- Use 'cujo' to show possession (whose): 'O autor cujo livro li.'
Overview
Ever get tripped up by sentences like, "O filme que vimos ontem foi incrível"? That little que is the key to unlocking a massive part of Portuguese: adjective clauses, or orações adjetivas. Think of them as modifiers on steroids.
Instead of just a single adjective (o filme bom), you use a whole clause to describe something (o filme que eu te recomendei). It’s how you add rich, specific detail to your sentences, moving from simple statements to sophisticated descriptions. This is your ticket to sounding way more natural.
Adjective clauses (orações subordinadas adjetivas) do exactly what they sound like: they function as an adjective. Their job is to describe or modify a noun or pronoun in the main part of the sentence. These clauses are introduced by a special set of words called relative pronouns (pronomes relativos), like que, quem, cujo, and onde.
The pronoun connects the main clause to the descriptive clause. For example, in "A série que estou assistindo é viciante," the clause que estou assistindo describes a série. It's not just any series; it's the specific one I'm watching.
Without this grammar, your sentences would be short, choppy, and honestly, a bit boring. Nobody wants that.
How This Grammar Works
- 1Restrictive Clauses (
Restritivas): These are essential. They restrict or define the noun, telling you which one you're talking about. You can't remove this clause without changing the fundamental meaning. And crucially: no commas.
Os jogadores que treinaram mais foram convocados.(The players who trained more were called up.)- This implies only the players who trained more were selected. The clause is vital information.
- 1Non-restrictive Clauses (
Explicativas): These are extra. They provide additional, non-essential information about a noun that's already clearly identified. You can remove this clause, and the main sentence still makes sense. The key is they are always separated by commas.
Os jogadores, que treinaram mais, foram convocados.(The players, who trained more, were called up.)- This implies all the players were called up, and by the way, they all trained more. It's just bonus info. Like a little piece of gossip in the middle of your sentence.
que: The universal workhorse. Refers to people or things.quem: Only for people, and usually needs a preposition (de quem,com quem).onde: Only for places. Don't even think about using it for time. Just don't.cujo/a/os/as: The possessive one. It's the drama queen of pronouns, connecting two nouns in a relationship of possession. It agrees with the thing that is possessed, not the owner.o qual/a qual/os quais/as quais: The formal version ofque. You use it to sound fancy or to avoid ambiguity after prepositions.
Formation Pattern
A moça trabalha no café. (The girl works at the café.)
Eu conversei com a moça. (I talked with the girl.)
moça is a person and the verb conversar needs the preposition com, we need com quem.
A moça com quem eu conversei trabalha no café. (The girl with whom I spoke works at the café.)
When To Use It
- To be specific: Instead of saying "I read a book," you say, "I read the book
that you recommended."O livro que você recomendou.See? More specific. - Adding details in conversation: When telling a story, you might say, "Fui àquele restaurante
onde nós comemos na semana passada." (I went to that restaurant where we ate last week.) It adds a layer of shared context. - In writing of all kinds: From texting a friend, "Viu o meme
que te mandei?" (Did you see the meme I sent you?), to writing a formal email, "Anexei o documentosobre o qual falamos." (I attached the document about which we spoke.) - Making your speech flow better: It connects ideas smoothly, so you don't have to use a bunch of short, simple sentences. It's the difference between sounding like a robot and a real person.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting prepositions: This is the #1 mistake. If the verb in the adjective clause needs a preposition, you MUST put it before the relative pronoun.
- ✗
O filme que eu gosto é de terror. - ✓
O filme de que eu gosto é de terror.(Because yougostar desomething.) - Using
ondefor everything: So tempting, butondeis only for physical places. For time, ideas, or situations, useem que. - ✗
A reunião onde decidimos o projeto... - ✓
A reunião em que decidimos o projeto... - The
cujocatastrophe:Cujomeans "whose" and it's tricky. Never, ever, ever put an article (o,a) aftercujo. It's a cardinal sin of Portuguese grammar. - ✗
O cara cujo o carro é vermelho... - ✓
O cara cujo carro é vermelho... - Comma confusion: Forgetting the commas for non-restrictive clauses or adding them for restrictive ones. Remember: if it's essential, no commas. If it's extra, use commas.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
- Adjective Clauses vs. Noun Clauses: An adjective clause describes a noun. A noun clause acts as a noun (the subject or object of the verb).
- Adjective Clause:
A notícia que ele leu era falsa.(The newsthat he readwas false. - 'que' describes 'notícia') - Noun Clause:
Eu sei que ele mentiu.(I knowthat he lied. - 'que ele mentiu' is the thing that I know, the object of 'sei'.)
- Adjective Clauses vs. Adverbial Clauses: Adjective clauses modify nouns. Adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs, usually telling you when, where, why, or how something happened.
- Adjective Clause:
A cidade onde nasci é pequena.(The citywhere I was bornis small. - 'onde' describes 'cidade') - Adverbial Clause:
Fico feliz quando você me visita.(I get happywhen you visit me. - 'quando' tells you when I get happy.)
Quick FAQ
What's the real difference between que and o qual?
Functionally, they're often the same, but o qual is more formal and is super useful after multi-syllable prepositions (apesar de, depois de) or to avoid ambiguity. A irmã do meu amigo, a qual mora na Bahia... makes it clear a qual refers to the sister, not the friend.
Do people really use cujo in Brazil?
In formal writing, yes. In everyday conversation, it's pretty rare. People usually find a way to rephrase the sentence, like: Conheci o autor. Os livros dele são famosos. instead of Conheci o autor cujos livros são famosos. It sounds a bit bookish, but you need to know it for B2!
I forgot the preposition! Is it a big deal?
In a test or formal writing, yes. In casual conversation, Brazilians often drop it, especially with que. You might hear O filme que eu mais gosto.... But the grammatically correct form is O filme de que eu mais gosto.... Stick to the rules until you're confident enough to know when you can break them.
Relative Pronoun Usage Guide
| Pronoun | Refers to | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
que
|
people/things
|
subject/object
|
O livro que li
|
|
quem
|
people
|
after preposition
|
O amigo com quem saí
|
|
onde
|
places
|
location
|
A cidade onde moro
|
|
cujo
|
possession
|
whose
|
O autor cujo livro li
|
Meanings
Relative pronouns are used to introduce an adjective clause that provides more information about a noun mentioned previously.
General Relative (que)
Used for both people and things as the most versatile connector.
“O carro que comprei é novo.”
“A mulher que trabalha aqui é simpática.”
Personal Relative (quem)
Refers exclusively to people, typically preceded by a preposition.
“O amigo com quem saí é engraçado.”
“A professora a quem escrevi é gentil.”
Locative Relative (onde)
Refers to physical places or locations.
“A cidade onde nasci é linda.”
“O escritório onde trabalho é grande.”
Possessive Relative (cujo)
Indicates possession (whose). It must agree with the noun that follows it.
“O escritor cujo livro li é famoso.”
“A empresa cuja sede é aqui.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + que + Verb
|
O carro que comprei.
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + que + não + Verb
|
O filme que não vi.
|
|
Question
|
Quem é a pessoa que...?
|
Quem é a pessoa que fala?
|
|
Possessive
|
Noun + cujo + Noun
|
O homem cujo carro é azul.
|
|
Prepositional
|
Noun + prep + quem
|
A mulher com quem falei.
|
|
Locative
|
Noun + onde + Verb
|
O lugar onde nasci.
|
Formality Spectrum
A pessoa com quem trabalho é simpática. (Workplace)
A pessoa com quem trabalho é legal. (Workplace)
A pessoa que eu trabalho com ela é gente boa. (Workplace)
O colega que eu trampo junto é firmeza. (Workplace)
Relative Pronoun Map
People
- que that/who
- quem whom
Things
- que that/which
Places
- onde where
Possession
- cujo whose
Examples by Level
O gato que eu tenho é preto.
The cat that I have is black.
A comida que eu gosto.
The food that I like.
O homem que fala português.
The man who speaks Portuguese.
O livro que leio é bom.
The book I read is good.
A cidade onde moro é grande.
The city where I live is big.
O amigo com quem falo sempre.
The friend with whom I always talk.
A escola onde estudo é nova.
The school where I study is new.
A pessoa de quem gosto muito.
The person whom I like a lot.
O autor cujo livro li é famoso.
The author whose book I read is famous.
A empresa cuja sede é em SP.
The company whose headquarters is in SP.
Os alunos cujos pais vieram.
The students whose parents came.
O projeto em que trabalho agora.
The project on which I am working now.
O professor, a quem respeito muito, disse isso.
The teacher, whom I respect a lot, said that.
A casa, cuja fachada é azul, é antiga.
The house, whose facade is blue, is old.
O país onde nasci tem praias lindas.
The country where I was born has beautiful beaches.
A ideia sobre a qual falamos ontem.
The idea about which we spoke yesterday.
O cientista, cujas descobertas mudaram o mundo, é brasileiro.
The scientist, whose discoveries changed the world, is Brazilian.
A situação, a qual não esperávamos, foi resolvida.
The situation, which we didn't expect, was resolved.
O lugar onde se sente mais paz.
The place where one feels most peace.
Aqueles com quem partilhamos a vida.
Those with whom we share life.
O edifício, cuja arquitetura remonta ao século XIX, foi restaurado.
The building, whose architecture dates back to the 19th century, was restored.
As leis, às quais todos devem obedecer, foram alteradas.
The laws, to which everyone must obey, were changed.
O momento em que tudo mudou.
The moment in which everything changed.
A pessoa, de quem tanto se fala, chegou.
The person, of whom so much is said, has arrived.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'que' when 'o qual' is needed for clarity.
Learners use 'onde' for non-physical locations.
Using 'quem' for things.
Common Mistakes
O homem que eu falo com ele.
O homem com quem falo.
A casa que eu moro.
A casa onde moro.
O livro que eu li ele.
O livro que li.
A pessoa que eu gosto.
A pessoa de quem gosto.
O dia onde eu nasci.
O dia em que nasci.
O autor cujo o livro li.
O autor cujo livro li.
A mulher que eu trabalho com ela.
A mulher com quem trabalho.
O carro, que é azul, é meu.
O carro, que é azul, é meu (correct, but 'o qual' is better for non-restrictive).
A empresa de quem trabalho.
A empresa em que trabalho.
Os alunos cujos os pais vieram.
Os alunos cujos pais vieram.
O lugar onde eu vou.
O lugar a que vou.
A pessoa que eu confio.
A pessoa em quem confio.
O livro cujo autor eu conheço.
O livro cujo autor conheço.
Sentence Patterns
O/A ___ que eu ___ é ___.
A cidade onde eu ___ é ___.
O autor cujo ___ eu ___ é ___.
A pessoa com quem eu ___ é ___.
Real World Usage
A foto que postei ontem.
O lugar onde a gente se vê?
O projeto em que trabalhei.
O hotel onde ficamos.
O restaurante de que gosto.
O estudo cujo autor é...
The 'Cujo' Rule
Avoid Redundancy
Use 'Onde' for Places
Spoken vs. Written
Smart Tips
Use 'quem' if there is a preposition before it.
Use 'cujo' and make sure it agrees with the following noun.
Use 'onde' instead of 'que'.
Use 'o qual' to avoid ambiguity.
Pronunciation
Cujo
Pronounced 'KOO-zhoo'.
Quem
The 'qu' is a 'k' sound, 'em' is a nasal vowel.
Non-restrictive clause
O carro, que é novo, é rápido.
Pause slightly before and after the clause.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Que is the key, Quem is for the men (and women), Onde is where, Cujo is whose.
Visual Association
Imagine a giant glue stick labeled 'Relative Pronoun' connecting two train cars (sentences) together.
Rhyme
Para pessoas, usamos quem, para lugares, onde convém, para coisas, que é o que tem, e cujo, para posse também.
Story
Maria met a man. The man had a dog. Maria met the man whose dog was lost. She found the place where the dog was hiding. The dog that she found was happy.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences describing your house, your friends, and your favorite books using these pronouns.
Cultural Notes
In informal Brazilian Portuguese, 'que' is often used instead of 'onde' or 'quem' with a redundant pronoun.
European Portuguese speakers are generally more strict about using 'onde' and 'quem' correctly.
In formal writing, 'o qual' is preferred over 'que' to avoid ambiguity.
Derived from Latin relative pronouns like 'qui', 'quae', 'quod'.
Conversation Starters
Qual é a cidade onde você nasceu?
Quem é a pessoa com quem você mais fala?
Você já leu algum livro cujo autor seja brasileiro?
Como você descreveria o lugar onde trabalha?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
O livro ___ li é excelente.
A cidade ___ nasci é linda.
Find and fix the mistake:
O autor cujo o livro li é famoso.
O homem mora ali. O homem é meu pai.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A empresa ___ sede é em Lisboa.
A pessoa com ___ falei é o diretor.
O lugar / onde / nasci / é / especial.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesO livro ___ li é excelente.
A cidade ___ nasci é linda.
Find and fix the mistake:
O autor cujo o livro li é famoso.
O homem mora ali. O homem é meu pai.
Match: 1. que, 2. quem, 3. onde, 4. cujo
A empresa ___ sede é em Lisboa.
A pessoa com ___ falei é o diretor.
O lugar / onde / nasci / é / especial.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesAs pessoas com ___ trabalho são muito competentes.
O hotel ___ ficamos hospedados tem uma vista linda.
A situação onde nos encontramos é complicada.
gosto / o filme / eu / de que / é de ação
The writer whose books I read is Brazilian.
Choose the correct sentence:
Os temas sobre ___ discutimos são confidenciais.
Ela tem um filho, cuja filha é médica.
Choose the best sentence.
A casa ___ paredes são brancas é a minha.
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
In casual speech, yes. In writing, you should distinguish between 'que', 'quem', 'onde', and 'cujo' for clarity.
The word 'cujo' already implies the possessive relationship, so adding an article is redundant and grammatically incorrect.
Strictly, yes. Use 'em que' for abstract situations like 'a situação em que estou'.
Use 'o qual' when you need to be very clear about which noun you are referring to, especially if there are two nouns in the sentence.
Yes, when used as a relative pronoun, it almost always follows a preposition like 'com', 'de', or 'para'.
It must agree with the noun that comes immediately after it, not the person who owns it.
No, use 'em que' or 'quando'. 'Onde' is strictly for location.
The rules are the same, but Brazilians are more likely to use 'que' in informal speech, while Portuguese speakers are more formal.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que, quien, donde, cuyo
Portuguese uses 'cujo' more formally than Spanish.
qui, que, dont, où
Portuguese 'cujo' is an adjective; French 'dont' is a pronoun.
der/die/das, dessen/deren
Portuguese pronouns do not decline for case.
Relative clauses precede the noun
Word order is completely reversed.
alladhi/allati
Portuguese 'que' is invariable.
de (的)
No relative pronouns like 'que' or 'quem'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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