Breakdown of Veo a ese sospechoso que trabaja con el ladrón.
ver
to see / to look / appear
trabajar
to work
ese
that (masculine)
con
with
a
to
que
that / than
el ladrón
thief
el sospechoso
suspect
Questions & Answers about Veo a ese sospechoso que trabaja con el ladrón.
Why do we use que for "who" instead of quien? The suspect is a person!
In English, we usually say "who" for people and "that" for things. In Spanish, que is the standard linking word (relative pronoun) for both people and things. You can use quien, but it is mostly used after prepositions (like con quien, "with whom"). When directly linking a noun to an action like this, que is the most natural choice, even for people.
Why is there an a right after Veo?
Why is it ese sospechoso and not eso sospechoso?
Ese is the masculine singular word for "that" when it comes right before a masculine noun (like sospechoso). Eso is a neutral word used for "that" only when talking about an abstract idea, a general situation, or an unknown object. You never use eso directly in front of a noun.
Could I say que está trabajando instead of que trabaja?
Yes, you could! However, the simple present tense (trabaja) is used more broadly in Spanish than in English. It can mean "works" generally, but also "is working" right now. Spanish speakers often use the simple present for ongoing actions unless they specifically want to emphasize that the action is happening at this exact second.
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