Noun Clauses | Spanish (Latin America) Grammar

A noun clause is a subordinate clause that does the job of a noun in a sentence. It can be the subject, the direct object, or the complement of a noun or adjective. In Spanish, noun clauses are almost always introduced by que.

This page gives a practical overview of every position a noun clause can fill. For a deeper look at complement clauses specifically, see Complement Clauses.

Noun Clauses as Subjects

A noun clause can serve as the subject of a sentence, especially with impersonal expressions and verbs of emotion.

Que venga es importante.

That he comes is important.

Me sorprende que no hayan llamado.

It surprises me that they haven't called.

Es probable que llueva mañana.

It's likely that it will rain tomorrow.

In English, we often start these sentences with a dummy it — It's important that he comes. Spanish does not use a dummy pronoun; the clause itself is the subject. Note that the clause usually appears after the verb, which is the natural word order for subject clauses in Spanish.

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If you're unsure whether a que clause is the subject, try replacing it with eso: Eso es importante, Eso me sorprende. If it works, the clause is the subject.

Noun Clauses as Direct Objects

The most common position for a noun clause is as the direct object of verbs of saying, thinking, believing, wanting, and perceiving.

Creo que viene mañana.

I think he's coming tomorrow.

Dice que no puede ir.

She says she can't go.

Quiero que me ayudes.

I want you to help me.

Sé que tenés razón.

I know you're right.

The noun clause answers the question what? — What do I think? What does she say? What do I want? The entire clause fills the object slot.

Notice the contrast with English: in I want you to help me, English uses an infinitive construction. Spanish requires a full clause with a conjugated verb when the subject changes: Quiero que me ayudes.

Noun Clauses After Nouns: De Que

When a noun clause serves as the complement of a noun, it is typically connected with de que rather than just que. This mirrors the structure noun + de + noun (e.g., la idea de algo → la idea de que...).

Tengo la impresión de que algo anda mal.

I have the impression that something is wrong.

Existe el riesgo de que se cancele.

There is the risk that it will be canceled.

La noticia de que ganaron nos alegró.

The news that they won made us happy.

Common nouns that take de que include: la idea, el hecho, la posibilidad, el riesgo, la impresión, la noticia, la esperanza, el temor.

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Dropping the de before que after these nouns is called queísmo — a common error even among native speakers. If the noun normally takes de before a simple noun (la idea de algo), it also takes de before que. See Dequeísmo and Queísmo for the full picture.

Noun Clauses After Adjectives

Adjectives that govern a preposition keep that preposition when followed by a clause.

Estoy seguro de que viene.

I'm sure that he's coming.

Estamos contentos de que estés acá.

We're happy that you're here.

Está cansada de que le pregunten lo mismo.

She's tired of being asked the same thing.

The key is to identify what preposition the adjective takes: seguro de, contento de, cansado de, dispuesto a, acostumbrado a. That preposition stays before que.

Noun Clauses After Prepositions

Certain verbs require a preposition before their complement. When the complement is a clause, the preposition comes before que.

Me alegro de que hayas venido.

I'm glad that you've come.

Insistió en que fuéramos.

He insisted that we go.

Confío en que todo salga bien.

I trust that everything will turn out well.

The pattern is verb + preposition + que + clause. Common combinations: alegrarse de que, insistir en que, confiar en que, depender de que, soñar con que.

Choice of Mood in Noun Clauses

The verb inside a noun clause can be in the indicative or the subjunctive, depending on the meaning of the main clause.

Indicative — Facts and Assertions

Sé que estudia mucho.

I know he studies a lot.

Es verdad que hablan español.

It's true that they speak Spanish.

Verbs and expressions that assert facts — saber, creer, decir (reporting), es verdad, es obvio, está claro — take the indicative in the noun clause.

Subjunctive — Desire, Doubt, and Emotion

Quiero que vengas.

I want you to come.

No creo que sea posible.

I don't think it's possible.

Me encanta que estén acá.

I love that you all are here.

Verbs and expressions that convey desire, doubt, emotion, or judgment — querer, esperar, dudar, no creer, es importante, me alegra — take the subjunctive.

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A quick test: if the main clause is about what is (information, facts), use indicative. If it is about what should be or how someone feels about it (wishes, emotions, evaluations), use subjunctive.

Infinitive vs. Full Clause

When the subject of the main verb and the subordinate verb are the same person, Spanish strongly prefers an infinitive over a full noun clause.

Quiero ir.

I want to go.

Espero poder ayudar.

I hope to be able to help.

Compare this to when the subjects differ, which requires a full clause:

Quiero que vayas.

I want you to go.

Espero que puedas ayudar.

I hope you can help.

Using a full clause when an infinitive would do (Quiero que yo vaya) is unnatural and incorrect in most contexts.

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Same subject → infinitive. Different subject → que + conjugated verb. This rule covers the vast majority of cases and is one of the most important patterns for building natural Spanish sentences.

Noun Clauses With Si (Indirect Questions)

When a noun clause is an indirect yes/no question, Spanish uses si (if/whether) instead of que.

No sé si viene mañana.

I don't know if he's coming tomorrow.

Me preguntó si tenía hambre.

She asked me if I was hungry.

Dime si querés ir o no.

Tell me whether you want to go or not.

Indirect questions with a question word (qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, por qué) use the question word directly, without que or si.

No sé dónde vive.

I don't know where he lives.

Me preguntó cuánto costaba.

She asked me how much it cost.

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Indirect questions in Spanish keep the accent mark on the question word: dónde, cuándo, qué, quién, cómo. Without the accent, these words are relative pronouns or conjunctions, not question words. No sé donde vive (without accent) is incorrect in this context.

Que Cannot Be Omitted

Unlike English, where that is frequently dropped (I think he's coming), Spanish never drops the complementizer que. It is always required.

Creo que tiene razón.

I think (that) he's right.

Saying Creo tiene razón is ungrammatical. Even when the sentence feels overloaded with que, every instance is mandatory.

Where to Go Next

For more on the contrast between de que and plain que, and how to avoid common errors, see Dequeísmo and Queísmo. For a deeper treatment of mood choice, consult Subjunctive vs. Indicative. For the bigger picture of how noun clauses relate to other subordinate clause types, review Subordinate Clauses Overview.