che / cui
Relative Pronouns 'Che' and 'Cui'
Relative pronouns connect two sentences by replacing a noun. Che is the most common and handles subjects/objects. Cui handles everything else but requires a preposition (like di, a, da, con).
How It Works
Relative pronouns allow you to combine thoughts without repeating nouns. In Italian, the choice depends on the grammatical role of the noun being replaced.
1. Che (The Workhorse)
Use che when the noun is the subject (the one doing the action) or the direct object (the one receiving the action).
- Il ragazzo che parla... (The boy who speaks...) — Subject
- Il libro che leggo... (The book that I read...) — Direct Object
2. Cui (The Indirect Pronoun)
Use cui when the noun follows a preposition. Unlike English, you cannot put the preposition at the end of the sentence; it must come before cui.
- Di cui: about which / of whom
- A cui: to whom / to which
- Con cui: with whom / with which
- Da cui: from whom / from which
3. Il cui (Possession)
To say "whose," use the pattern articolo + cui + nome. The article agrees with the noun that follows it (the thing possessed).
- L'autore il cui libro è famoso... (The author whose book is famous...)
- La donna la cui borsa è rossa... (The woman whose bag is red...)
Note: In formal or literary Italian, the preposition 'a' is sometimes dropped before cui (e.g., la persona cui ho scritto). However, in standard conversation, you should always include it (a cui) to sound natural and avoid being overly archaic.
Examples (5)
- La pizza che ho mangiato era buonissima.
The pizza that I ate was very good.
Word by Word: The pizza that I have eaten was very good.
Here 'che' is the direct object of the verb 'mangiato'.
- Conosci la ragazza che abita al terzo piano?
Do you know the girl who lives on the third floor?
Word by Word: Know you the girl who lives at the third floor?
Here 'che' is the subject of the verb 'abita'.
- L'amico con cui studio è molto intelligente.
The friend with whom I study is very intelligent.
Word by Word: The friend with whom I study is very intelligent.
Since we need the preposition 'con' (with), we must use 'cui'.
- Questo è il film di cui ti parlavo ieri.
This is the movie I was telling you about yesterday.
Word by Word: This is the film of which to you I was speaking yesterday.
In Italian, you say 'parlare di' (to speak about). Therefore, 'di' must precede 'cui'.
- La città in cui vivo è molto antica.
The city in which I live is very ancient.
Word by Word: The city in which I live is very ancient.
We use 'in cui' to indicate location within the relative clause.
Common Mistakes
Using 'chi' as a relative pronoun with an antecedent.
L'uomo chi lavora qui è mio padre.L'uomo che lavora qui è mio padre.Learners often think 'chi' means 'who' in all contexts. However, 'chi' is only used when there is no specific noun before it (meaning 'the person who'). When referring to a specific person like 'l'uomo', you must use 'che'.
Dangling a preposition at the end of the sentence.
La ragazza che sono uscito con...La ragazza con cui sono uscito...In English, we often say 'The girl I went out with.' In Italian, the preposition 'con' must come before the relative pronoun 'cui'.
Adding a redundant object pronoun.
Il libro che lo leggo è interessante.Il libro che leggo è interessante.Once you use 'che', the object is already represented. Adding 'lo' (it) is redundant and incorrect.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand relative pronouns, a learner must first be comfortable with the roles of subjects and direct objects in a sentence, as 'che' replaces these. Additionally, since 'cui' is used with prepositions, a solid grasp of simple prepositions is required.
- Simple Prepositions
The relative pronoun 'cui' is used exclusively after prepositions, so understanding basic prepositions is essential for its correct usage.
Level 1 - mi / ti / lo / la / ci / vi / li / leDirect Object Pronouns
Understanding the concept of direct objects is necessary to grasp when 'che' functions as a direct object relative pronoun.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- chiRelative Pronoun 'Chi'
'Chi' is a double relative pronoun used without an antecedent, often confused with 'che' when referring to people.
Level 3 - il quale / la qualeRelative Pronoun 'Il Quale/la Quale'
These are variable alternatives to 'che' and 'cui' used in more formal contexts to avoid ambiguity.
Level 3 - il cui / la cuiPossessive Relative ('Il Cui/la Cui')
This specific construction with 'cui' is used to express possession (meaning 'whose').
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- cui (dopo preposizione)Relative Pronoun 'Cui'Level 3
- Subjunctive after a Relative SuperlativeLevel 4
- Subjunctive in Indefinite Relative ClausesLevel 4
- è...cheCleft Sentences ('È...che')Level 4
- per quanto / per quel cheLimiting Clauses (Per Quanto, Per Quel Che)Level 5
- il cheRelative Pronoun 'Il Che' (Referring to a Whole Clause)Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice che / cui in Bubblegum
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