Breakdown of Tenemos una nueva constitución, la cual garantiza la paz.
nuevo
new / another, different (before the noun)
un
a, an, some
tener
to have
la paz
the peace (absence of war) / the peace (calm, tranquility)
garantizar
to guarantee
el cual
which / who (formal)
la constitución
the constitution
Questions & Answers about Tenemos una nueva constitución, la cual garantiza la paz.
Why use la cual here instead of just que?
While you could absolutely use que here (..., que garantiza la paz), using la cual makes the sentence sound more formal or elevated. It is often used in writing, journalism, or official contexts. Notice that it must match the gender and number of the noun it refers to: la constitución (feminine singular) dictates la cual.
Why is there a comma before la cual? Is it required?
Yes, the comma is required here. It marks this as a non-defining (or explanatory) relative clause—meaning it just adds extra, non-essential information about the constitution rather than specifying which constitution we are talking about. When used without a preposition, el cual and la cual can only be used in these comma-separated explanatory clauses.
Why is it nueva constitución instead of constitución nueva?
Placing adjectives like nuevo or nueva before the noun usually means "new to the speaker" or "a replacement," whereas placing it after usually means "brand new in existence." Here, una nueva constitución emphasizes that it is a replacement for the old one. Putting the adjective first also matches the slightly formal, elevated tone of the sentence.
Why does the sentence use la paz instead of just paz to mean "peace"?
In Spanish, abstract nouns and general concepts (like peace, love, or justice) require a definite article (el, la, los, las) when referring to the concept as a whole. Since the constitution guarantees "peace" in a broad, absolute sense, it must be la paz.
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