o que / a que / os que
Relatives with the Article
O que, a que, os que and as que mean the one(s) who or the one(s) that: Os que chegaron tarde non entraron (those who arrived late did not get in).
How It Works
The pattern
Article + que + clause, with no noun: the article stands for a noun that has been mentioned or is clear from context.
- o que: masculine singular, Este autobús non, o que vai ao centro é aquel.
- a que: feminine singular, A que ves alí é a miña (talking about a bike).
- os que: masculine or mixed plural, Os que chegaron tarde non entraron.
- as que: feminine plural, As que viven no terceiro son as miñas curmás.
People in general. Os que can refer to people in general, much like quen: Os que madrugan teñen máis tempo.
With prepositions. The article contracts with a preposition in front: Dálle o bolo ao que chegue primeiro (give the cake to whoever arrives first), Fala cos que saben. See also preposition + article + que.
The neuter o que. Without any noun in mind, o que means what or the thing that: O que dixo é certo (see o importante, o que and free relatives).
When the one meant is only possible or in the future, the verb can go in the subjunctive: ao que chegue primeiro (see subjunctive in relative clauses).
Examples (5)
- Os que chegaron tarde non entraron.
Those who arrived late did not get in.
Word by Word: The that arrived late not entered.
Os que refers to a group of people, masculine or mixed.
- Que bicicleta é a túa? A que ves alí.
Which bike is yours? The one you see over there.
A que is feminine because it stands for a bicicleta.
- Este autobús non: o que vai ao centro é aquel.
Not this bus: the one that goes to the centre is that one.
O que stands for o autobús, which is not repeated.
- As que viven no terceiro son as miñas curmás.
The ones who live on the third floor are my cousins.
As que refers to a group of women.
- Dálle o bolo ao que chegue primeiro.
Give the cake to whoever arrives first.
A + o que contracts to ao que; chegue is subjunctive because the person is not known yet.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish neuter lo que.
Lo que dixo é certo.O que dixo é certo.Galician has no lo as an article at the start of a phrase; the neuter is o que.
Not agreeing the article with the thing meant.
Estas botas son os que merquei onte.Estas botas son as que merquei onte.As botas is feminine plural, so the article is as.
Leaving a + o uncontracted.
Dálle o premio a o que gañe.Dálle o premio ao que gañe.The preposition a and the article o always contract to ao.
How It Connects
Learn This First
An article with que identifies an understood person or thing.
Related Patterns
- Relative quen
Quen can also mean whoever, like os que for people in general.
Level 3 - o importante / o queNeuter O Before Adjectives and Que
The neuter o que, meaning what or the thing that.
Level 3 - Free Relatives: quen / o queFree Relatives: Quen and O Que
Covers clauses with no noun before them, such as quen queira and o que dixo.
Level 5 - Preposition + Article + quePrepositions Before Relatives
The same article + que combination after a preposition: a cidade na que vivo.
Level 4 - Subjunctive in Relative Clauses
Explains the subjunctive in phrases such as ao que chegue primeiro.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice o que / a que / os que in Bubblegum
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