In formal writing, bureaucratic procedures, and diplomatic affairs, you will often see el cual (and its variants) used to mean "which," "who," or "whom." While everyday speech usually relies simply on que, el cual adds precision and formality.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|
| Masculine | el cual | los cuales |
| Feminine | la cual | las cuales |
Agreeing with the noun
Like many Spanish pronouns, el cual must match the gender and number of the noun it refers back to.
For a masculine, singular noun like el tratado (the treaty), use el cual:
For a feminine, singular noun like la asamblea (the assembly), use la cual:
And for plural nouns, use los cuales or las cuales:
Using "el cual" with prepositions
One of the most common ways to use el cual is after prepositions (like sin, para, según, or de). This is especially useful in complex sentences to make it crystal clear exactly which noun the preposition applies to.
Notice that when the preposition de (of/about) combines with the el in el cual, it forms the mandatory contraction del cual: