Ch 26 · Lesson 17Spanish · Chapter 26 · Lesson 17 · Grammar primer
Lo que and lo cual: pointing at a whole idea
; , . The neuter when there is no noun, only an idea.
The short version
A whole idea needs , not
, .
Why?Hide
When you are commenting on an entire situation rather than a named noun, will not carry it. , is wrong: the genderless antecedent needs the neuter or . The same applies when there is no noun in sight at all, as in .
Lo que and lo cual: a whole idea
When there is no noun to point at, only an idea, Spanish uses the neuter . means "what", the thing that:
| Use | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| something said | . | I don't understand what you said. |
| a need | . | What I need is a rest. |
| a free choice | . | Do what you like. |
After a comma, or comments on the whole clause before it, like English "which":
, .- He/She arrived late, which annoyed me., .- He/She passed the exam, which pleased his/her parents.
The article decides what the clause points at:
| Points at | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| the train | , . | He/She missed the train, which left at eight. |
| missing it | , . | He/She missed the train, which was a shame. |
Only means "what": , never " ".
Going further: The advanced relatives on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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