Italian Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are an essential part of Italian grammar. They allow you to connect ideas smoothly, avoid repetition, and sound more natural and fluent in both spoken and written Italian. Instead of repeating the same noun, a relative pronoun refers back to it and introduces additional information.

For example:

I saw a movie yesterday. The movie was funny.
The movie that I saw yesterday was funny.

Che

That / Who / Which

The most commonly used relative pronoun in Italian is che. It can refer to people, animals, or things and can be translated as that, who, or which in English. Unlike English, Italian uses the same word regardless of whether the pronoun refers to a person or an object.

Che can function as either the subject or the direct object of a relative clause. Because of its flexibility, it is usually the safest and most common choice for learners.

Cui

Whom / Which (with prepositions)

When a relative clause requires a preposition, che cannot be used on its own. In these cases, Italian uses cui, which must always be preceded by the appropriate preposition (a, di, da, in, con, su, per).

The structure is simple: preposition + cui. This form is used for both people and things.

Other Uses of Che

In addition to relative clauses, che is frequently used in exclamatory sentences. In this context, it often translates as what a or how in English and is typically placed at the beginning of the sentence.

Exclamations with Quanto

Another word commonly used in exclamations is quanto. It means how or how much and agrees in gender and number with the adjective or noun it refers to.

Dove

Where

Dove means where and is used as a relative pronoun when referring to a place. It often replaces more formal expressions such as in cui or nel quale, especially in spoken Italian.

Il che

Which (referring to an entire idea)

When the relative pronoun refers not to a specific noun but to an entire sentence or situation, Italian uses il che. This structure is especially common in written Italian.

Everyday Alternatives: e questo / e ciò

In everyday conversation, il che is often replaced by more informal expressions such as e questo or e ciò. These forms are very common in spoken Italian.

Il quale

Which (formal)

Il quale (and its forms la quale, i quali, le quali) is the formal equivalent of che. It must agree in gender and number with the noun it replaces and is mainly used in formal or written Italian.

Summary: Italian Relative Pronouns

Italian relative pronouns help you connect sentences smoothly and avoid repetition. Mastering them will make your Italian sound more natural, fluent, and precise.

Here is a quick overview of the most important points:

• Che is the most common relative pronoun. It means that, who, or which and can refer to both people and things.
• Cui is used after prepositions (a, di, da, in, con, su, per). It replaces che when a preposition is required.
• Dove is used to refer to places and often replaces more formal expressions like in cui.
• Il che refers to an entire idea or situation, similar to which in English.
• Il quale is the formal version of che and agrees in gender and number with the noun it replaces.
• Che and quanto are also widely used in exclamatory sentences to express emotion.

As a general rule, start by using che and cui confidently. The other forms will come naturally as you are exposed to more spoken and written Italian. With regular practice, relative pronouns will quickly become an intuitive part of your language skills.