Breakdown of Los que estudian con calma aprenden más.
aprender
to learn
más
more
estudiar
to study
con calma
calmly
los que
those who
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Questions & Answers about Los que estudian con calma aprenden más.
What does los que mean, exactly? Is it just “those who”?
Yes. Los que literally means “the ones who/that,” and it functions as a noun phrase meaning “those who.” It refers to people in general and introduces the clause that describes them.
Why is it masculine plural (los) if we’re talking about people in general?
Spanish uses the masculine plural as the default for mixed or unspecified groups. If the group is exclusively female, you can say las que. A gender-neutral alternative is quienes.
Could I say El que estudia con calma aprende más?
Yes. El que… uses a generic singular: “the one who.” It conveys the same idea as a general truth. With el que, the verbs must be singular: estudia / aprende.
What’s the difference between los que, quienes, and los cuales?
- Los que: very common and neutral.
- Quienes: a bit more formal or concise; works well for “whoever/those who.”
- Los cuales: more formal/technical; often used after prepositions or to avoid ambiguity.
All three can work here: Los que…, Quienes…, Los cuales….
Why is the indicative used (estudian, aprenden) and not the subjunctive?
Because this states a general fact about a real, identifiable set of people. Use subjunctive for a hypothetical/indefinite idea like “whoever may”: Quienes estudien con calma aprenderán más (“whoever studies calmly will learn more”).
What exactly does con calma mean? Is it “calmly,” “slowly,” or “patiently”?
Con calma = “calmly, without rushing,” often implying patience and composure. Rough comparisons:
- Tranquilamente: calmly/peacefully, sometimes “quietly.”
- Despacio: slowly (speed).
- Con paciencia: with patience.
Why con calma and not en calma?
With actions like studying, Spanish idiomatically uses con calma. En calma describes a state (“the sea is calm”: el mar está en calma), not how you perform an action.
Does más need the accent mark?
Yes. Más with an accent means “more.” Mas without an accent is a formal/literary “but,” not used here.
Does aprenden más mean “learn more” or “learn better”?
Primarily “learn more” (greater amount). If you want “better” (higher quality), use mejor: aprenden mejor. Both can be true, but they’re different nuances.
Why isn’t there an a after aprenden?
Aprender a is used before an infinitive (learn to do something): aprenden a estudiar. Here, más is an adverb meaning “more,” so no a is needed: aprenden más.
Can I invert the order: Aprenden más los que estudian con calma?
Yes. That’s a natural word order in Spanish to emphasize the result. Meaning stays the same.
Do I need commas anywhere?
No. Los que estudian con calma is the subject of the sentence, and the clause is restrictive/defining. No commas are required.
Why are the verbs plural (estudian, aprenden)?
They agree with the plural subject los que. If you used el que, the verbs would be singular: El que estudia… aprende….
Could I say Los estudiantes que estudian con calma aprenden más?
You can, but it slightly narrows the scope to students specifically. Los que… is broader: anyone who studies calmly.
Can I drop los and start with que: Que estudian con calma…?
No. Que needs an antecedent. To start the sentence without an antecedent, use Quienes: Quienes estudian con calma aprenden más.
What about aprenderse vs aprender here?
Use aprender. Aprenderse (pronominal) often means “memorize by heart” a specific item: se aprendieron el poema. For general “learn more,” stick with aprenden más.