Breakdown of El jefe explicó el criterio que usará para aumentar el sueldo este año.
este
this
usar
to use
que
that
para
for
Questions & Answers about El jefe explicó el criterio que usará para aumentar el sueldo este año.
Why is explicó in the preterite tense instead of the present?
We use the preterite here because the boss’s explanation is viewed as a completed action in the past. If you said explica, it would sound like he’s explaining right now or habitually. Explicó clearly locates the action at a fixed point in the past.
Why does the sentence use el criterio instead of just criterio?
In Spanish, abstract nouns like criterio often take the definite article when you’re talking about a specific criterion already known to the listener. Saying el criterio signals “the particular rule” the boss mentioned, not any rule in general.
Why is que used to introduce the relative clause que usará… and not quien?
Quien refers only to people ("who"), while que is the general relative pronoun used for things or abstract concepts like criterio. Since criterio is inanimate, que is the correct choice.
Why is the future tense usará used instead of a conditional like usaría?