Preposition + el qual

El Qual After Prepositions

Level 4

After a preposition, el qual agrees with its antecedent and can clarify a complex relative clause.

How It Works

Choose el qual, la qual, els quals or les quals from the antecedent's gender and number. The preceding preposition comes from the relation inside the relative clause: contra la proposta becomes la proposta contra la qual es va recórrer.

Complex prepositions also allow these forms: l'edifici al costat del qual vivim. Apply ordinary contractions, including del qual and pels quals. Do not select the preposition merely because a particular English relative uses of or for.

This formal option can make the antecedent easier to identify in a dense sentence, but agreement does not eliminate every possible ambiguity. Move or rewrite a relative if two nearby nouns still fit its form.

Examples (3)

  1. És la norma contra la qual van recórrer.

    It is the rule they appealed against.

  2. Visitem la casa al costat de la qual vivia.

    We visit the house next to which she lived.

  3. Aquests són els motius pels quals protesten.

    These are the reasons why they are protesting.

Common Mistakes

  • Agreeing qual with the wrong gender.

    És la norma contra el qual recorrem.
    És la norma contra la qual recorrem.

    La qual agrees with the feminine singular antecedent norma.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Preposition + el qualLevel 4El Qual After Prepositions

Learn This First

Agree qual with its antecedent before adding complex prepositions or possession.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

qual