o cal / a cal
Formal Relative O Cal
O cal, a cal, os cales and as cales are formal relative pronouns, mostly used after prepositions: a razón pola cal marchou (the reason why he left).
How It Works
The forms
Masculine o cal / os cales, feminine a cal / as cales, chosen to agree with the noun referred to: o motivo polo cal, a empresa para a cal, os amigos cos cales.
Contractions
The article contracts with the preposition as usual: de + o cal = do cal, en + a cal = na cal, con + os cales = cos cales, por + a cal = pola cal, a + o cal = ao cal (see contractions).
Where it is used
- After prepositions, especially longer ones and compound prepositions: a razón pola cal marchou, a igrexa diante da cal hai unha fonte, un informe segundo o cal...
- In clauses between commas, as a formal alternative to que: Falei coa directora, a cal me explicou o problema. Here it can help make clear which noun is meant.
Where it is not used. Directly after a noun in a defining clause with no preposition, use que: o libro que lin, not o libro o cal lin.
Style. O cal belongs to careful writing and formal speech. In conversation, o que after a preposition (a razón pola que marchou) sounds more natural. For o cal referring to a whole sentence, see referring to a whole clause.
Examples (5)
- Esta é a razón pola cal marchou.
This is the reason why he left.
Word by Word: This is the reason by-the which he-left.
Por + a cal contracts to pola cal; a cal agrees with a razón.
- Os amigos cos cales viaxei viven en Lugo.
The friends I travelled with live in Lugo.
Con + os cales = cos cales, plural to agree with os amigos.
- A empresa para a cal traballo ten a sede en Vigo.
The company I work for has its headquarters in Vigo.
Para does not contract, so the full a cal appears.
- Visitamos a igrexa, diante da cal hai unha fonte.
We visited the church, in front of which there is a fountain.
O cal is especially common after compound prepositions such as diante de.
- Falei coa directora, a cal me explicou o problema.
I spoke to the headteacher, who explained the problem to me.
In a clause between commas, a cal is a formal alternative to que. The relative pulls me before the verb.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish spelling.
a razón por la cual marchoua razón pola cal marchouGalician uses cal (plural cales) and contracts por + a to pola.
Leaving the preposition and article uncontracted.
o tema de o cal falamoso tema do cal falamosDe + o always contracts to do, also before cal.
Using o cal directly after a noun in a defining clause.
O libro o cal lin era moi bo.O libro que lin era moi bo.Without a preposition or commas, the normal relative is que.
How It Connects
Learn This First
O cal is an agreeing formal relative expression, often after a preposition.
Related Patterns
- Relative queRelative Pronoun Que
The everyday relative pronoun, used instead of o cal in most clauses.
Level 3 - Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Explains the clauses between commas where o cal can replace que.
Level 5 - o que Referring to a ClauseReferring to a Whole Clause
O cal can also refer back to a whole idea: o cal sorprendeu a todos.
Level 5 - cuxo / cuxaPossessive Relative Cuxo
Another formal relative pronoun, meaning whose.
Level 5 - Relative quen
The relative for people after a preposition, another alternative to o cal.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice o cal / a cal in Bubblegum
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