la qual cosa (referència a tota l'oració)

Sentential Relatives Referring to a Whole Clause

Level 6

La qual cosa and cosa que refer back to a whole preceding statement.

How It Works

An ordinary relative modifies a noun: la decisió que va prendre. A sentential relative instead comments on the preceding situation as a whole: va dimitir, la qual cosa ens va sorprendre. The antecedent is the resignation event, not just the nearest noun.

In a long formal sentence, la qual cosa can state a consequence or evaluation of the whole previous proposition. Its antecedent is not simply the closest masculine or feminine noun. Keep a comma before the continuation and ensure the added clause genuinely describes the entire event. If the referent is only one named item, use an ordinary relative; if the link is too distant, start a new sentence with això.

Examples (3)

  1. No hi va assistir, la qual cosa va sorprendre tothom.

    She did not attend, which surprised everyone.

  2. Va dimitir, cosa que ningú no preveia.

    He resigned, which nobody foresaw.

  3. S’ha reduït el pressupost, la qual cosa obliga a prioritzar.

    The budget has been reduced, which requires prioritizing.

How It Connects

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

la qual cosa (referència a tota l'oració)Level 6Sentential Relatives Referring to a Whole Clause

Learn This First

Keep the sentential relative anchored to the event rather than a nearby noun.

Words in This Pattern

qualqual